Dreams and Nightmares
by Fox Sannin's Concept Corner
Summary: After seeing the weakness of its vessel, the Kyuubi gives birth to a new Bloodline and bestows it upon its unwilling host with one command: Remind the world of the terror of the Kyuubi and return their fear to them.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Summery: The Kyuubi was defeated during it's assault against Konoha and it's true fate was hidden behind laws and fear. Children are taught that it was killed and those who know the truth are slowly dieing out. Eventually the legend of the beast will be lost in the mists of time.

This will not stand.

After seeing the weakness of it's host, the Kyuubi gives birth to a new Kekkei Genkai and bestows it upon his unwilling vessel with one command:

Remind the world of the horror of the Kyuubi and return their fear to them.

**CHAPTER 1**

'_The Kyuubi!'_

"_Hold the line!"_

"_The Yondaime is here!"_

"_Minato, don't!"_

"_Shiki Fuujin!"_

Sarutobi was snapped out of his thoughts by a knocking at his office door. The old man heaved a heavy sigh as he pushed himself out of his chair. He glanced out of what was left of the office wall towards the remains of Konohagakure; The Village Hidden in the Leaves. Huge pillars of black smoke rose up into the night sky, blocking out the twinkling stars. Fire and screams raged through the streets as ninja ran to and fro, trying to save as many lives as they could. The stench of death hung in the air like a shroud, gagging the throats of even the most hardened veterans.

"Come in." He called as he turned towards the door. The door opened and in poked the head of Uzuki Yuugao, a newly promoted Chuunin. She looked exhausted and tired and her arm was in a bloody sling.

"The council has convened as you ordered, Hokage-sama." She bowed before closing the door again, returning to her post.

He sighed as he picked up the red and white tri-point hat of the Hokage and placed it on his head. He should be retired, damn it, not taking up a job he gave up over five years ago when he got too old to carry out his duties. As he walked to the door, his eyes were drawn to the shadowed portrait of the man who should be wearing the hat and taking charge: Namikaze Minato.

The spiky-haired blonde had been Sarutobi's chosen successor to the mantle of Hokage. The famed Konoha's Yellow Flash, and the Hero of the Third War, Minato was loved by all in the village. The man was often coined a 'once in a generation genius', a title well earned. His works in jutsu, seals, tactics, and politics were nothing short of masterpieces. He was fair, caring, noble, compassionate, and more. He was truly a ninja beyond compare.

At least, when he was alive.

That all changed eleven hours ago.

Because eleven hours ago, disaster struck Konoha. Kyuubi no Kitsune, the Nine-tailed Fox. The very name instils fear and dread in the hearts of those that hear it. And it was eleven hours ago when the Demon Fox attacked Konoha. The was no warning or provocation in the attack. One moment all was peaceful then the next the main gate was destroyed in a cloud of fire, the Kyuubi following behind. Attacks were ineffective against the creature and there was no way to draw it's attention away from the village. All hope was lost.

Or so they thought.

It was Minato who came up with the plan to save the village, once again living up to his title of genius. The plan was to seal the beast within a child who's umbilical cord was freshly cut. This idea didn't appeal to Sarutobi. Hosts for demons, Jinchuuriki, lived terrible, isolated lives, and the idea of doing that to a newborn, or anyone else for that matter, sat ill with the old Kage. Sarutobi pleaded and begged Minato to reconsider, but the Yondaime couldn't be swayed, convinced that it was the only option to save the village. Sarutobi reluctantly agreed and watched as his student's student left to battle the Kyuubi, a small bundle in his arms.

After the battle, it was Sarutobi who retrieved the child and saw first hand as the Kyuubi marked the babe as his. On each cheek, three small, thin, black marks appeared on the young boy's face, bleeding slightly, and his stomach an intricate seal pulsed red in time with the boy's heartbeat. As Sarutobi picked the small bundle off the ground, he gazed in immense sadness at the small child as he realised the momentous change that just befell the boy, only for his eyes to widen in shock as the blanket fell away to reveal a small shock of neon yellow hair.

'_He wouldn't have…' _Sarutobi could remember thinking, only for his assumptions to be proven correct as the child's eyes opened to reveal the largest and brightest pair of cerulean blue orbs he had ever seen except on one other person. Comprehension hit him like a kick to the nuts.

Minato had used his own son for the sealing.

Sarutobi had sworn up a storm in his mind, thrice cursing his successor turned predecessor to the deepest pit of Hell for the trouble he heaped onto the worn old man's shoulders. This small child, barely a few hours old, was now the Jinchuuriki for the strongest of the Bijuu, the heir of the Yondaime, son of Iwa's Bane, most likely the godson of his old pupil, Jiraiya, and, if what Minato had said earlier was true, an orphan with no family whatsoever.

And now he was going to have to explain all of this to the council.

'_Damn you, Minato…'_

* * *

"I call this council to order."

Sarutobi banged his gavel on the desk, immediately silencing the chatter as the Konoha Council took their seats. The seven ninja, seven civilians, three Elders and one Hokage lowered themselves into their seats tiredly. It had been a long day.

"So…" Sarutobi began, finding absolutely no idea of how to begin this discussion. "Any questions?" He immediately regretted it as he was bombarded from all sides with queries before he banged his gavel again. "One at a time."

Nara Shikaku stood, his face bearing new scars that would remain with him for the rest of his life. "Well, we all know that the Kyuubi attacked, but not why. We know that the Yondaime was seen going to and from the village during the battle and that he fought the Kyuubi atop Gamabunta before there was a flash of light and both the Kyuubi and Minato…died." He hesitated a bit at the end as it was still hard to accept. He and Minato had been in the academy together and he considered the blonde one of his closest friends. Still, he pushed on. "So the best question I can think of is: what happened?"

There were murmurs of ascent from the other council members as Shikaku took his seat again. Sarutobi nodded absentmindedly. It was a good question and would make things go quicker with any hope. He cleared his throat and got the other's attention. "Well, I think that it is time to bring in someone who will make things become a lot clearer." He made a 'come hither' motion with his arms and from the shadows stepped the form of a fourteen year old Hatake Kakashi. The young Anbu captain stepped forward, holding a bundle in his arms which he deposited in front of Sarutobi before spinning in his heel and walking from the council chambers without so much as a backward glance. Sarutobi frowned. It seemed he would need to have a talk with the boy. He didn't want him to start thinking of the child of his teacher as a demon.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a happy gurgling sound and his gaze was drawn to the young boy in front of him who had his chubby little arms outstretched in an attempt to reach Sarutobi's hat. He smiled as he let the boy grab one of his fingers. The kid had a strong grip.

"Hokage-sama, what has the child got to do with any of this?" Uchiha Fugaku asked, his face twisted in confusion as he looked at the boy.

Sarutobi discretely placed a genjutsu over the child to put him to sleep. He had a feeling that things were going to get loud and a crying newborn wouldn't help anyone's mood.

"This child, Fugaku, is the reason that the Kyuubi isn't attacking anymore."

The Inuzuka matriarch, Tsume, correctly summed up everyone's thoughts with a very intelligent, "Say what?"

Sarutobi smiled at the young clan head. "I mean what I say, Tsume-chan. This little boy stopped the attack."

His old team mate, Koharu, spoke up after a few moments of stunned silence. "I think it would be best if you started from the beginning, Hiruzen."

Sarutobi sighed as he began. "It was during the tenth hour when Minato came to me with a plan. He proposed that he could seal the Kyuubi, permanently, and stop the attack. The drawback of this was that the jutsu required to seal the beast was a suicide jutsu. I asked him what talisman or pendant would be strong enough to hold the greatest of the Bijuu and he told me that no inanimate object could contain the monster's power and that to use an animal would have run too great a risk of demonic possession. He told me that the demon would have to be sealed within a person for it to work. I offered myself as the sacrifice, but he shook his head. He told me that the demon's chakra would meld with that of the host over the course of the person's life and that when they died, they would take the Kyuubi with them. In order for this to work, the person would have to be young enough for their body to accept and adapt to a secondary chakra. I asked who would be young enough and he told me that it would have to be a child, no more than a few hours old."

Many eyes widened as the ramifications hit them, but it was Yamanaka Inoichi who spoke up. "You mean…"

Sarutobi threw back the child's blanket to expose the seal on the child's belly, now only glowing with a dull red, almost black, light, and the whiskers. Many jumped back in fright, while others gave the babe uneasy looks, and a few examined to seal with fascination, having never seen one of it's complexity before.

"This young boy is the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi." Sarutobi watched their eyes as his words sunk in. Some appeared too shocked to absorb this, while others just stared at the child with disbelieving eyes. It was the others that Sarutobi kept his eye on. The ones that appeared disgusted by the boy, their faces twisted into angry grimaces as they glared at the baby with hate filled eyes. He memorised the names of each and every one of them, adding them to his mental shit list of possible trouble makers.

After almost five minutes, the silence was broken by Kuchi Seito, the Master of the Treasury. "So what are we going to do with it?" He asked, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair as he glared at the babe.

Sarutobi levelled a slight glare at the civilian. "We are not going to do anything to _him_, Seito-san. He will either be placed with a adoptive family or in an orphanage until he reaches the age of eight when he will choose to either join a civilian school or attend the academy."

Seito looked at the Hokage incredulously. "You can't seriously be considering to let this…_thing _go near the general population? It's not safe!"

Sarutobi's retort was swift. "Minato's seal means that the Kyuubi is permanently sealed away, never to escape. The beast's conscious is locked away and the child is in no danger of possession, so there is no reason to fear the boy."

"I believe there are aspects of this that many in this room are missing." It was Danzou who spoke as he rose from his chair. Sarutobi leaned back in his chair as he watched his oldest political opponent talk. Danzou was as slippery as they come. The bandaged Elder continued, "From our spy's reports, we know that just a few months ago, the Yondaime Kazekage sealed the desert spirit Shukaku into the body of his youngest son to create a weapon for Suna. He is not the only to do so. The other great villages, and even some of the smaller ones, have created their own Jinchuuriki for use against their enemies. Konoha is the only one of the Five Great Villages to not have their own demon weapon."

Sarutobi cut him off. "If you are suggesting that we turn the boy into a living weapon then the answer is no. Not only will I never agree to it, Minato's last order was that the child would not be turned into some killing machine, and as you already know, the council must follow the Final Order of the Hokage regardless of their feelings on the matter."

Danzou frowned. There was no fighting the Final Order of a Hokage. Fine, if he couldn't have the boy then he should get rid of a potential problem. "If we cannot reap the benefits of the child's condition then I say we kill it before it can turn on us and harm the village."

There it was. Danzou said what some where thinking. Many of the council leapt to their feat, calling for the small baby's blood. A good few shouted them down, proclaiming the newborn's innocence, and there where some who said nothing, opting to weigh the decision before commenting.

All were silenced though when Sarutobi slammed his fist on the table, the loud noise startling those attending into silence. The old ninja slowly rose to his feet and leaned over the table, his hat shadowing his eyes as he spoke to the council, deadly threat lacing every word. "You will all listen to me very carefully for I shall say this only once. This child will not be killed. Any who so much as lays one ill meaning finger on the boy will be executed without hesitation. The Yondaime asked that you see this babe for the thing that he is: a hero. I know that it is a fool's hope that everyone in the village sees him like this, so if your thoughts are of the negative then keep them to yourself for they are neither needed nor warranted Now in a few days time we will tell the village of the boy's existence and I will pass along this same warning: if anyone tries to harm the boy; they die. If anyone gets someone else to harm him; they die. If anyone speaks of the boy's condition; they die. This boy saves our village from a terrible evil merely by living, a duty he did not ask for but now has no choice in. His life won't be easy, but I'll be damned if I let ignorant, narrow-minded fools take out their grief and pain on a helpless child."

The silence that ran throughout the council room was deafening. This was not Sarutobi, the kind leader. This was the Sandaime Hokage, the feared God of Shinobi. They watched as their leader lifted the small bundle into his arms and walked towards the doors. The guards opened them to allow their leader through when Koharu finally found her voice. "Hiruzen, wait!"

Sarutobi stopped just inside the doors, but didn't turn around. "Yes Koharu?"

"What's the boy's name?"

Sarutobi looked down at the tiny infant in his arms, a gentle smile playing about his mouth as he gazed upon the newborn's peaceful face. His back still to the gathered council, he gave them his answer before striding out the door towards his office.

"His name…is Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

Sarutobi gently placed baby Naruto in a cot in the medical wing of the Sarutobi compound. The worn fighter folded his arms inside the sleeves of his robes as he watched the small blonde sleep, the burdens of command temporarily forgotten. For a while only the soft 'ah-phew' of the baby permeated the air before it was broken by the sound of the door opening.

"Father?"

Sarutobi turned to the voice and smiled as his eyes rested upon Kinome, his pride and joy.

She was beautiful. Her dark brown hair was the same shade of brown as the rest of her family and was spiked the same as her brother Asuma's, the only difference being the shorter, neater spikes and the two strands that fell from behind her ears to just about the same height as her chin.

It was her eyes that where different though. They had no pupil and the iris was fallow in colour in the centre, but became a more khaki shade as the neared the edge. Her mother's eyes. She had her mother's eyes.

Her body was small and compact, the kind you would see on a gymnast or acrobat, but she wore it wonderfully. A slight hourglass figure was hidden under a small, dark brown leather bodice-like waistcoat that zipped up the front, worn over a sleeveless fishnet shirt that bared all of her shoulders. Her not so inconsiderable cleavage was fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) by the large collar of the long red scarf she wore around her throat, the two tails falling to the back of her knees and her hitai-ate attached to the centre of the collar, under her chin.

The backs of her hands and her forearms were protected by a short pair of off white metal vambraces, a gift from the Monkey King Enma himself, with a pair of fishnet elbow pads. Across her back were two halves of a folded red metal bo-staff, connected by a short string of metal wire, which Sarutobi himself taught her to use. A pair of very baggy black capri pants tied just below the knee and a pair of black sandals completed the ensemble.

Sarutobi strode to his youngest offspring and took her delicate hands in his wrinkled ones. "Daughter, are you alright?"

Kinome gave her father a soft smile. "I'm fine, just a little tired. So, what happened?"

Sarutobi sighed tiredly. "The Kyuubi was stopped, but at too great a cost."

"And that has something to do with the child you brought home with you I presume?" She guessed as she glanced over his shoulder at the cot where Naruto lay.

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. "And what makes you thinks that?"

"Well, if it where just a normal child then you would have had a ninja deliver it to the hospital instead of going to all the trouble of sneaking it into your own home and put the child in your own private infirmary, making sure that no one saw you."

Sarutobi chuckled. Kinome had always been the more observant of his two children. "Alas, you have found me out."

Kinome smirked at her father. "You'll never be able to hide anything from me, old man." Her smirk vanished as she cocked her head to the side, shooting her father a questioning look. "So, are you going to tell me why your mystery baby deserves so much secrecy?"

Sarutobi gave his daughter an appraising look as he thought about how to tell her. Finally, after a few moments, he gave the best answer he could. "Jinchuuriki."

Kinome's eyes widened as she looked back at the cot. Stepping around her father, she made her way over to the sleeping babe as she rested her hands on the cot's railings. Sarutobi watched her as she looked at the child. After a few moments, without looking away from the small blonde, she asked, "Shiki Fuujin?"

Sarutobi nodded. "Yes."

"Then Minato…?"

"…Yes…"

She sighed. "And how did the council take it?"

Sarutobi sighed heavily as he went to stand beside her. "Some wanted to kill him, others didn't, Danzou wanted to make him a weapon, and the rest tried, unsuccessfully, to wrap their heads around the idea that the demon that nearly destroyed the village is being held prisoner inside the stomach of a baby a only a few hours old."

Kinome snorted. Like her father, she was a sucker for knowledge and she had read about Jinchuuriki, and about the general image that those around them seem to hold for them. Basically, most people thought of Jinchuuriki as the lowest level of life there is, holding a hatred for the simple reason that they exist. Jinchuuriki were often used as weapons, but no matter how many battles they win, they were always hated and feared. Their average life expectancy was twenty five if they were lucky, the biggest causes of death being suicide, their seals breaking and the release of their demons, or being executed by their own village. The life of a Jinchuuriki was a truly tragic tale.

Looking down at the small face peeking out from a swath of blankets, Kinome could feel her heart breaking at the prospect of what the poor boy's life was going to be like from now on. His face showed so much innocence and Kinome was forced to wonder how long he would be able to hold onto that innocence before it was torn away.

"So what's going to happen to him now?" She asked quietly.

Sarutobi was quiet a moment before he answered. "I told the council that he would be placed in an orphanage or foster home."

Kinome rounded on her father. "What!?" She hissed quietly for fear of waking the baby. "How could you!? You know what will happen! Giving him to the mercy of the village right after the attack is basically you putting the noose around his neck!"

Sarutobi nodded. "I know."

"Then why--!?"

Sarutobi cut her off. "If the council think he is in an orphanage or foster home, then any who wish him harm will have to make quiet inquiries to find him. Then can't just march into an orphanage and start searching the children for seals, can they? How long do you think it'll take for them to search all the orphanages and foster homes in Konoha before they realise that he's not in any of them?"

A grin slowly made it's way onto her face as she realised where her father was going with this. "Quite a bit of time I'd imagine."

"Precisely. It would take years. That would give us enough time to keep him safe for the first few years of his life and make sure he's properly looked after before we can set him up with his own apartment with a guard to watch over him."

Kinome bit her lip as a thought came to her. "Why can't we just adopt him? I'm not comfortable with the idea of making a child live on his own at such a young age."

Sarutobi took his hat off and scratched his balding head as he answered. "Me neither, but the civilian members on the council would case enough trouble block any attempts to adopt him. At least this way we can make sure he gets the proper nutrition and care now when he needs it most."

They stood in silence as the watched Naruto sleep, the moonlight filtering through the curtains. It seemed like an eternity before Sarutobi broke the silence. "I should get back to the council. Can you stay with little Naruto until I come back?"

Kinome nodded and pulled a chair over to sit beside the crib as Sarutobi walked out the door. With a final glance back at his daughter, Sarutobi shut the door with a click.

* * *

It was late the next morning when Sarutobi next passed by his infirmary to see Kinome and Naruto. He pushed the door open, but stopped when he heard humming. Peering into the room, he saw a sight that warmed his heart.

Kinome was standing in front of the window, the sun's light shining at her back as she held Naruto in her arms. The boy giggled wildly as he reached for Kinome's hair as she rocked him, humming the same tune that Kinome's mother used to sing to her when she was a little girl.

Sarutobi smiled as his heart lightened at the tender scene in front of him. locking the image away in his memory as he quietly closed the door. He headed to his room for a few hours of sleep, humming the same tune as Kinome. Suddenly the days ahead seemed a whole lot brighter.

* * *

Naruto remained a guest of the Sarutobi family for three years.

He grew up quickly and healthy, soaking up the attention that Kinome and Sarutobi showered upon him, as well as the attention of the Sarutobi's trusted staff. Kinome hardly took any missions during that entire time, opting to spend her days playing with Naruto. She was there when Naruto spoke his first words. She watched him take his first steps. She was there to hold him when he got hurt. She sang to him every night.

To her, Naruto was her son. Even if she could never claim him as her own legally, she would always make sure that everyone knew he was hers, and that to hurt him would invoke the wrath of Sarutobi Kinome.

Naruto also thought of Kinome as his mother. As far as he was concerned, his entire life revolved around him and Kinome, and he couldn't have been any happier. He was always trying to impress her with all the cool things he could do. He wouldn't go to sleep unless she was there to sing to him and she always gave the best piggyback rides. She also did this weird thing where she bit her thumb and slammed her hand into the ground and made monkeys for him to play with! That was the best…

Yes, life at the Sarutobi household was most exciting for those precious years

But it was not to last.

Kinome knew that Naruto couldn't stay with them forever. She had always said that she would always look after him, even after he was forced to move out. But the idea of making him live on his own, in a strange place all alone, without her there to protect him tore at her heart.

To lessen the blow to both mother and child, they had told Naruto of their plans months before they were put into action and began to gradually ease them into the process. The showed him pictures of the places that they were thinking of moving him into, let him choose the designs of the house, and showing him how to do things by himself. He seemed both scared and excited by the idea, but was assured when they told him they'd visit all the time.

Kinome, however, was having a harder time with the transaction. She tried to spend even more time with Naruto, trying to convey all of the love she felt for him before he had to go and face those who hated him because of what he was. The thought of him not being around terrified her so much that she spent many nights in Naruto's room, watching him sleep as she silently cried.

With mounting dread she counted down the days until her son would be taken from her. The closer the day came the greater the depression, and Sarutobi began to fear for his daughter's health until one day when Kinome came to him with a proposition…

_*******Flashback Begins*******_

_Kinome walked into her father's study, her face a mask of professional stoicism. She stopped in front of his desk and stood at ease, her legs spread slightly and her arms clasped behind her back, telling the old man that this was a professional matter, not a domestic one._

_He looked up at his daughter with a raised eyebrow as he lit his pipe. Letting the smoke fill his lungs, he leaned back in his chair, thankful for the break from his demanding job. _

"_Can I help you with anything, Kinome-chan?"_

_Kinome nodded. "Yes. I thought about it and I've made the decision to take up the standing offer presented to me to join the Anbu Black Ops."_

_Sarutobi frowned at this. "Kinome-chan, you know I don't want you going to the Anbu. The work required is too gruesome."_

"_I know, but I was hoping to get an inter-village posting."_

_Sarutobi cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"_

"_I know that in a few months there will be a property inside the village requiring near round-the-clock Anbu protection. I figure that I qualify for the position as I have an in depth knowledge of the client and can easily handle any_…trouble _that comes along."_

_Sarutobi crossed his arms and leaned across the desk. "You're talking about being Naruto's Anbu guard."_

_Kinome nodded._

_Sarutobi mulled it over in his head. There were a lot of pros for the idea and very few cons. Naruto wouldn't be totally alone, he wouldn't be separated from his mother for too long, he could have his meals made for him so that he doesn't have an accident with the stove, and so many other things that allowed Sarutobi to make his decision in seconds._

"_I'll have the orders in the morning."_

_Kinome squealed in delight, breaking her professional mask, and ran around the desk to give her father a tight hug. "Thank you father!"_

"_You're welcome Kinome-chan."_

_*******Flashback Ends*******_

Naruto was of course delighted with this turn of events. Now he'd be near Kinome and he could talk to her all the time.

So, with everything set for Naruto's departure from the Sarutobi household, they packed all his belongings, said goodbye to the servants that Naruto had become friends with over the years, and left for Naruto's new home. To avoid trouble, Kinome placed a genjutsu over Naruto, masking his presence from anyone under high-Jounin level in skill.

The area was one of the most deserted parts of Konoha, the nearest inhabited homes being blocks away. After the many deaths of the Kyuubi attack, the survivors relocated nearer the centre of the village for a greater sense of security, and since immigration into any Hidden Village is strictly controlled to root out any threats or spies, there hadn't been any significant increase in population aside from the usual births. So the place was very private, to say the least. Perfect for their plan.

Kinome set Naruto down and he looked at his new home in wonder. _This _wasn't what he was expecting when he'd imagined where he was going to live.

The place was massive. It was the same size as most clan houses, with many wings full of sleeping quarters, training areas for ninja, an infirmary, a library full of books that Sarutobi and Kinome picked out, a few gardens, and a large courtyard in the direct centre. The place was the definition of traditional Japanese design when it came to homes. Everything was on the ground level, with sliding doors and partitions dividing the house into sections, with tatami mats covering the floors. Electrical lanterns hung from the ceiling, lighting the hallways. The redwood, the paper screens and the yellow light gave the place a cosy, warm feel, and Naruto could tell that even though he was living on his own, he would be comfortable.

"This place is cool!" Naruto exclaimed as they stood in his bedroom. It was large with a low bed and stuffed with toys, books and other assorted items of interest to those with attention spans of three seconds. The walls were artfully painted to represent a forest, and the dark green carpet and colbat blue ceiling only improved the look.

But what Naruto _really _liked was the bed,

It looked like a cross between the flattest bed, and the most bad-assed futon that he had ever seen. It was a large circular mattress set into the ground so that it was perfectly level with the floor, the size perfect so that there wasn't even the smallest gap between the mattress and the floor. The duvet had bright golden flames designed on it that seemed to shine in the light. Naruto realised with a grin that the bed represented a fire in the centre of a forest clearing.

With a yell of glee, Naruto dived onto the bed, relishing the comfort that the soft bed provided. Sarutobi and Kinome chuckled at the goofy grin spread across his face.

"So do you like your new home, Naruto?" Sarutobi asked with a smile.

Naruto nodded vigorously. "Yeah! This is so cool!"

"Alright, well you'd better go get changed for bed. It's almost 9pm."

"Okay." He bounced off of his bed and into his en-suite bathroom, only to emerge a few minutes later in his pyjamas, including his favourite panda cap. He dived under the covers of his bed, and snuggled into the mountain of pillows with a sigh of content. After a few seconds he cracked one eye open to stare at Kinome expectantly. Chuckling, she grabbed his favourite book and crawled in beside him, wrapping an arm around him and drawing him to her side. They waved goodbye to Sarutobi, and Naruto soon drifted off to the sound of Kinome's melodious voice.

With a sigh of content he fell into a blissful sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Yo! This is a Naru!Bloodline story that I really have high hopes for as I love the idea for a bloodline I have come up with and hopefully you will too. This first chapter was just the standard council meeting (obviously). You will see what the bloodline is in the next few chapters. **

**A lifetime supply of cyber-cookies and Sasuke beat-up dolls for anyone who guesses what Naruto's bloodline will do.**

**As always please review and enjoy.**

**Ja ne!**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

They hid in the shadows adjacent from the main entrance of the compound, watching for any sign of movement. Wrapped in swaths of dark rags, they moved forward and leapt over the gate, landing in the empty courtyard. Their leader gestured with a single hand and they surrounded the large double doors ahead. Two men grabbed the handles and with a nod to the others, slid the doors open quickly and quietly. The seven shadows disappeared into the darkness of the household, intent on finding their target.

It was only by pure chance that they found out about this place. After the attack, the boy seemingly vanished into thin air. It was obvious to everyone that the Hokage knew where he was, but would not tell the council, no matter how much they wanted to make sure that the boy was 'properly taken care of'. Unfortunately they couldn't force the Hokage to reveal the child's location because of lack of support among the council. Many of those fools felt either sympathy for the creature or chose to take the wait-and-see approach.

Finally one of the councillors that saw the danger that the child overheard the Hokage speaking to his daughter, talking about a compound on the edge of the city, and about a child that was kept there. The councillor told a ninja companion of his and requested that he scout this mystery compound.

They couldn't believe it. It was _him_.

At first glance he appeared no different from any other _human_ child, but such was the way of a kitsune; they were tricksters by nature, and could assume the most disarming of forms. The only way they were able to see it for what it was, was thanks to it's markings. Upon each cheek were three whisker-like scars. Couple this with the boy's angular facial features and his slightly slanted eyes, and the boy had the unmistakable appearance of a fox. They would go in that night.

The group stopped at a juncture in the corridors of the compound. The leader glanced around the halls and sighed. This place was massive, and their target was small. The fact that they had no intelligence on the layout didn't help. With a few whispered instructions, he sent two of his men down one corridor, the other two down the second, and took the remaining two with him down the last corridor.

As they progressed, they slid open each door, hoping to catch a glance of their target. Keeping out of the moon's light, they came to a large courtyard, with large slabs paving the ground.

Sudden movement caught his eye, and he crouched even lower, almost going prone. He narrowed his eyes, trying unsuccessfully to pierce the gloom ahead. From his belt, he pulled his trusty mace, twirling it in his hand comfortably as he stepped forward, out of the shadows, his two men following. He stood proud in the centre of the courtyard, his weapon clutched firmly in his hands. His blood sang with the promise of battle, and the knowledge that his loved ones would be avenged soon.

"Up there!" His head snapped upwards at his companion's harsh whisper, and his heart beat even quicker.

A shadowed figure was perched like a cat on top of the tiled roof, the moon at it's back, casting it entirely in darkness. Two long tails billowed around it in the night wind as it appeared to regard them.

The leader swallowed past the lump in his throat. It was time. "You there!" He called, his voice echoing in the night. "Identify yourself!"

The shadow launched itself of the roof, flipping gracefully before landing silently in front of them, it's head snapping up to peer at the three men in front of it. Sliding to it's feet, it began towards the intruders, causing them to take a nervous half-step back before the moonlight cast light on the figure. The leader let out a shaky sigh of relief.

"Kinome-sama." He bowed slightly to the Hokage's daughter, who stood before them stoically, her eyes glittering in the moonlight.

"Nasura-san." She nodded back politely, recognising the young Jounin. "May I ask what brings you here tonight?"

The man, Nasura, licked his lips nervously, and reaffirmed his grip on his trusty mace. "We have come here to eliminate a threat to Konoha." He said, throwing his chest out proudly.

Kinome raised one elegant eyebrow, he face remaining devoid of expression. "Really?" She asked. "And what threat would that be exactly?"

"We have come to eliminate the demon that almost destroyed the village four years ago." He gestured towards the surrounding buildings. "We have heard from our supporters on the council that the creature has taken up residence in this abandoned compound."

Kinome's eyes narrowed slightly. "I see." She let her eyes close, and drew in a deep, calming breath of night air. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

Nasura's jaw fell, but he quickly recovered. "Why? That demon is a threat to our home. Every second that it is allowed to live is more time for it to gather it's strength for another, even greater attack! Why are you defending it!?"

Kinome opened her eyes and gazed up at the twinkling stars above as she answered, "Three reasons. Reason number one is: because my father, the Hokage, has ordered that the child not be harmed. Reason number two is: the boy is _not _the demon that attacked our home, he is the beast's prison, and therefore he is an innocent child."

"And reason number three?" Nasura sneered, only to balk as Kinome dropped her eyes to bore into his, her usually warm brown orbs burning with white hot fury.

"Reason number three," She hissed, her voice shaking the men to the core with it's intensity. "Is because I will _never_ allow _anyone _to harm my son!" In one fluid motion, she pulled her blood red bo-staff from behind her, and launched herself at the intruders.

Nasura threw himself backwards as Kinome brought her staff crashing into the side of one man's neck, shattering his spinal cord, before spinning low, and sweeping the other man off his feet. In one graceful arc, Kinome stood, and brought her staff sweeping down onto the man's skull, crushing it, and splattering blood, bone, and brains across the cold stone floor of the courtyard as Nasura landed a few feet away.

Nasura almost wet himself when he saw both his men killed so easily, and ruthlessly in less than three seconds. He hardly saw her move, and it was only luck that he managed to dodge. Kinome's eyes focused on him, and he brought up his mace to block when he felt a sharp pain at the base of his skull, then nothing. His world spun violently before he hit the base of the stairs at the end of the courtyard. The last thing Nasura saw was the shadowed outline of Kinome, standing easily with her staff over his headless corpse, then everything went black.

Kinome let out a long breath, and folded her staff once more, hooking it across her back. Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out a black scroll, and opened it. This particular scroll was what was commonly referred to as an 'Undertaker's scroll', because of it's use of transporting corpses. Four of the ten seals were filled, containing the bodies of the other intruders that sought to harm her child. She felt no remorse for her actions. People like that didn't deserve such things.

She sealed the bodies into the scroll, with Nasura's head getting it's own seal, and cleaned the gore from the ground with a low level Suiton jutsu. She flipped the scroll into the air, where it spun for a moment before it was incinerated by one of her Katon jutsu.

She walked through the house until she came to the same room that her opponents had been seeking, and slid the door open. She smiled as she gazed upon her son, wrapped in his blankets, and hugging his favourite stuffed monkey. She looked lovingly at his sleeping form for a few more moments before turning and disappearing into her own room, directly across from him. After changing out of her clothes, she slipped under her own blankets, keeping her staff within reach.

She would allow _no one_ to harm her baby.

* * *

"Mom!"

The shout rang throughout the room, and Kinome woke with a smile, a second before a little blonde missile launched itself at her. She wrapped her arms around her son and hugged him tight before holding him at arms length. The little ball of joy grinned at his mother, his slightly longer than normal canines showing.

"Good morning, Naru-chan!" She smiled at her son.

"Jiji is coming today isn't he?" He asked excitedly. He hadn't seen his grandfather in a while, and he was really looking forward to this visit.

Kinome nodded. "Yep, he sure is." She smiled as her son's grin grew even larger, if possible. She noticed that he was already dressed for the day. "You ready for breakfast?"

He nodded, and bounced off the bed, allowing Kinome to get up. "Why don't you go wait for me in the kitchen, Naru-chan, I'll be along in a second."

Naruto nodded, and took off, leaving her to get dressed. She wasn't worried about him. Those idiots weren't foolish enough to attack during the day. They seemed to think they were safer in sneaking around in the dark. She shook her head at their logic. If anything, she was even _more_ attentive at night.

After a quick shower, she slipped into her regular clothes, and made her way into the kitchen, Naruto already perched in his chair, waiting.

She smiled at him, and opened the refrigerator, bending over to inspect it's contents. "Okay, Kiddo, what do you want for eating?"

Naruto scrunched his face in thought before he called out, "Eggs, toast, and bacon!"

Kinome peered around the refrigerator door, an eyebrow slightly raised. Naruto chuckled, and scratch the back of his head at his mistake. "Eggs, toast, and bacon _please_."

Kinome smiled, and nodded at her son. "Coming right up."

After breakfast, Sarutobi arrived, only to be immediately tackled by Naruto. Kinome detached her son from her father, and led the two into the sitting room, where Naruto immediately perched himself in Sarutobi's lap, the Hokage hat tilted at an angle on his blonde head. After talking for awhile, Sarutobi brought up one particular topic that he and Kinome had been discussing previously.

"Naruto, what do you want to do with your life?" He asked the child.

Naruto looked up from his toys. "What do you mean?"

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Umm…" Naruto looked lost for a moment before he turned to Kinome. "What do you do, mom?"

Kinome smiled at him. "I'm a ninja, Naru-chan. I fight to protect the village, and everyone in it."

Naruto nodded, and turned to his grandfather. "I wanna be a ninja!" He declared, one fist raised in the air.

Sarutobi chuckled, and Kinome looked on fondly. "Are you sure?" Sarutobi asked. Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Well, do you know how you become a ninja?"

"Umm…read?" Naruto ventured.

Sarutobi nodded. "Reading is a big part of it, but that's not all you need to do. You would need to train hard to learn how to fight, and throw shuriken. You would also need to learn to mould chakra, and perform jutsu."

Sarutobi saw that Naruto was lost as to what 'chakra', and 'jutsu' meant, so he held out his hand, and clicked his fingers. Immediately a small flame leapt up from his palm. It gave off heat, but didn't burn Sarutobi.

"Whoa!" Naruto's eyes nearly left their sockets when he saw his grandfather conjured fire. "How did you do that?"

Sarutobi showed Naruto the fire. "This is a jutsu, if a rather small one. I just use it to light my pipe, but it's a good example of what jutsu do. All ninja use chakra, a type of energy produce by the body, to create jutsu. Using chakra, a ninja could summon a large wall of water, or create a dragon of fire, and more besides."

Naruto was practically vibrating with excitement at the prospect of learning how to do that. "What do I need to do?"

Sarutobi sat back on the couch. "Well, you need to be taught how to channel chakra, how to throw kunai, and shuriken, and learn since you don't start the ninja academy until age eight, you would need to be home schooled in the basics, like reading, writing, and math."

"When can we start?"

Sarutobi glanced at Kinome who looked at her son seriously. "Naruto? Are you sure that this is what you want? Being a ninja isn't easy. It's a hard, painful, and sometimes short life. The second you become a ninja, you are bound to protect the village with your life, and it's a commitment that is almost impossible to back out of. Are you absolutely certain that you want to be a ninja?"

Naruto looked back at his mother, realising how serious she was. He thought about it. If he could learn how to do that then he could help protect his family. Also he would be doing what his mom did, which was cool. Add to that that everyone in his family was a ninja besides him, even though there were only two others in the family (unless you count his mom's brother Asuma, but he had never met him.). If there was one thing that Naruto cherished above all else, it was his family. He looked his mother in the eye, determination shinning in his cerulean orbs. "I'm sure mom. If I'm a ninja then I could look after you, and Jiji, and everyone else."

Kinome searched her child's eyes for a moment longer before her face broke into a smile. "Then we'd better get you training then."

* * *

Naruto stood in the centre of the main courtyard of the compound as he waited for his mother. He pulled at the black, sleeveless shirt that was tucked into a pair of black sweet pants. He really liked his new training clothes. Plus he was wearing his first pair of ninja sandals; a black pair to match his training clothes.

Hearing one of the doors sliding open, he looked up to see his mom walk into the courtyard.

"Are you ready to start, Naruto?" She asked.

He nodded. "You bet!"

She smiled at him. "Okay, well as I promised, I'm going to teach you how to unlock your chakra. The first thing you need to do is form your first seal." She held up her joined hands. "This seal is called the Ram seal. It's the most basic seal there is, and it's used in nearly every jutsu there is. There are many seals other than this one, but we'll focus on this one for the moment. As you focus your chakra, you can actually feel it moving through your body. Right now I want you to mould some chakra and try to push it out of your body. Doing this will unlock your chakra points. After the first time, we'll do it a few more times to make sure you unlock all your chakra points. Give it a try."

Naruto nodded and brought his hands up into the Ram seal, and focused. When he was starting to think that maybe he was doing something wrong, he felt something. It was like a warmth spreading through his body.

Kinome nodded to herself. "That's good work Naruto. You've managed to circulate your chakra, now try to push it out through your chakra points. To make it easier you should focus on one body part at a time."

Naruto nodded, but didn't open his eyes. He began to push his chakra down, pooling it into his legs, and feet. Perspiration broke out across his brow, but he grinned as he felt the blockage start to give way, so he pushed even more chakra into it.

He shouted in triumph as he felt the blockage give way, and his chakra come flooding out. Now, this resulted in three things. Number one was that he had amassed a lot more chakra than he thought. Number two was that the sudden flood of chakra caused a massive crater to form in the ground. And number three was that all of this had a rocket effect on poor Naruto, and before he knew what was happening, he was launched into the air.

He shouted in glee as he flew higher and higher. His triumphant grin slowly slid off his face as gravity reasserted itself, and he began falling back to the stone floor below. He clenched his eyes shut in preparation for the pain when he felt a thin, but strong, pair of arms catch him. He opened his eyes to see his mother looking down at him, a bemused smirk on her face.

"Well it's a start." She chuckled as she set him on the ground.

Naruto was still a little stunned at his impersonation of a missile. "Was that normal?"

Kinome shrugged. "No…but you're my son, your genetically programmed to be awesome."

Naruto grinned as he made the Ram seal again. By the end of their session, Naruto had been launched into the air five more times, and was sent crashing into the wall twelve times.

* * *

"Are you sure? I could just cancel, it wouldn't be a problem."

"I'm sure." Sarutobi insisted. "Kinome-chan, you've hardly had a night to yourself the last few years. Just go out, and have fun. I'll look after Naruto."

Kinome bit her lip, unsure. She was dressed in her favourite black dress, and heels, with bangles and hoop earrings completing the ensemble. She was being dragged out for a night on the town with her friends, the first in a long while. It wasn't that she missed them, she would gladly spend all her time with Naruto, but her friends had been most insistent, and apparently had her father on their side.

Another thing that made her want to ditch her friends for the night was Naruto's safety. She knew he would be alright with her father, but she would feel a whole lot better is she was the one looking after her son.

She sighed as she realised that she wasn't going to get out of this one. "Fine, but you call me at the first sign of trouble. Are we clear, old man?" She asked, her brow raised in warning.

Sarutobi chuckled. "Fine. Go and have fun."

She turned and walked to the door. With her hand on the handle, she turned back to her father. "Remember; watch out at night."

Sarutobi's smile was that of a predator. "Don't worry. I didn't earn the title of Hokage by chance. I may be old, but I still have quite a few tricks up my sleeves."

Kinome nodded, and turned, closing the door behind her. Sarutobi brought his hand to his mouth, and bit his thumb before slapping his hand to the ground. A seal formula spread out from under his fingers, and from a cloud of smoke, emerged ten small monkeys.

"Hey, Sarutobi-sama." One of the monkeys, a small red one, waved.

Sarutobi crouched down to better look them in the eye. "Hello my friends. I need you to perform a small task tonight. I need you to patrol this compound, and keep an eye out for anyone who tries to sneak in. If you see anyone, you tell me immediately, no matter who they are."

The little monkeys nodded in confirmation, and took off to perform their duty. Sarutobi walked back into the main sitting room, where Naruto was sat, reading up on the famous ninja that Konoha had produced. The young boy looked up as his grandfather walked into the room, and passed him the book he was reading. "Hey, Jiji, who are they?"

Sarutobi took the book in his hands, and smiled down at the picture. It was his Genin team picture. He was stood behind Jiraiya who was grinning, and giving the camera the victory sign. To their left was Tsunade, who was leaning against a training post with her arms crossed, a small smirk on her face, and directly opposite her was Orochimaru. The pale boy stood calmly, a small smile on his face. _'Those were better times.'_ Sarutobi mused.

He sat on the couch, making room for Naruto who bounced up beside him. He wrapped an arm around the boy as they looked at the old picture. "That, Naruto, is a picture of me with my old students, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru."

Naruto peered down at the picture. "I think I've heard of them."

Sarutobi nodded. "It's likely you have, they were very powerful, and very famous."

"Wow. What were they like?"

Sarutobi smiled nostalgically. "Well let me tell you a story about them. This was during one of our very first missions as a team. We had to track down a certain cat, when Jiraiya…"

* * *

The sharp clunks of wood smacking against wood echoed around the dojo. They two combatants weaved around each other, their attacks lightning fast.

Naruto ducked under the strike aimed at his head, and swept low, trying to take the legs out from under Kinome, who merely skipped over his attempt. She kicked him backwards, but he maintained his balance, and reaffirmed his grip on his bo-staff.

They watched each other for a moment before Naruto launched himself forward, his staff descending towards her side. She easily blocked the strike, and spun, brining her staff around to catch the back of his knees, sending him to the ground. Not wasting a moment, he kicked back up to his feet, and twirled his staff around his body, driving Kinome back, and giving him some space to breath. Sweat was dripping down his face, making his hair stick to his forehead. They had been at this for two hours, and his mom hadn't even broken a sweat yet. He was covered in bruises, and his body protested every movement. He had yet to land a single hit on his mother, which was the target of this session. He wouldn't last much longer, he knew it. It was time for an all or nothing attack.

Calling up the last reserves of his strength, he rushed forward, and launched himself into the air, swinging his staff in a downwards stroke. Kinome quickly brought her staff up to lock him, only for her eyes to widen when his staff smashed hers in two, never breaking from it's path. Naruto felt a surge of triumph as his staff neared her shoulder, only for his jaw to drop when she stopped it mere millimetres from her skin with one of the broken halves of her staff. She sharply rapped the other half across the back of his wrist, causing him to wince, and drop his staff. She jerked him quickly forward by his numb hand, and he blinked when he found the splintered end of one of her broken staff halves inches from his eye.

He let out a sigh of tired frustration. She won_ again_. She let him go, and he fell to his butt, panting for breath.

Kinome grinned down at him. "Tired?" She asked, only for her grin to widen when he glared weakly up at her.

"No fair." He grumbled. "I broke your staff. I should have won."

Kinome wiggled a patronising finger at him. "Now, now, none of that. In the proper hands, anything could be used to defeat your enemy, even if it's a pebble or even a piece of paper."

Naruto muttered under his breath as she helped him to his feet, and together they walked into the kitchen to get some water from the fridge. He plopped down on a chair, draining his bottle halfway, and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"So is there anything you'd like for your birthday, Naru-chan?" Kinome asked as she sat down. Naruto swirled his water in his bottle as he thought about it.

"Can I go outside?"

Kinome paused with her bottle a few inched from her lips, and sighed. "Naruto, you know you're not allowed to go outside."

Naruto pouted. "Why? I've never been outside the compound since I came here. Can't we just go to the festival this once. I mean, the fireworks are great, but I've never seen the rest of the festival."

Kinome shook her head. She hardly ever needed to be strict with Naruto outside of training, but one rule she always stood by was that he was _never_ allowed to go to the festival. If they tried to attack him in his own home, who knew what they would try during the Remembrance Festival; a massive party celebrating the defeat of the Kyuubi, and remembering those that died during it's attack.

"You know you're not allowed to go to the festival, Naruto."

Naruto crossed his arms, and pouted. "How come? You always say I can't go, but you never say why."

Kinome closed her eyes. She couldn't tell him. Not yet. She knew that when he finally found out about his burden, everything would change. She couldn't bare the thought of it. She wanted a few more years. Just a few more years of happiness with her child before he found out about the secret, and how some of the village viewed him. She often wondered how much of his son's innocence would survive the cruel world beyond the compound walls. She truly dreaded finding out the answer to that question.

"Naruto." She said. "There is a very good reason why I don't want you going outside. I can't tell you it yet, but I promise I'll tell you one day. Okay?"

Naruto nodded glumly.

"Besides, you're four right now. Only another four years until you start the academy."

That got a small grin from Naruto. "That's true."

Kinome smiled, and leaned back in her chair. "So, is there anything else you want?"

Naruto thought about it for a moment before his face broke into an excited grin. "Can I get my own bo-staff?"

"Maybe, if you can complete the first part of your training before your birthday. If not, then we'll see what we can do."

"Yes!"

"Now, go and get cleaned up. You still have history studies in an hour."

* * *

Naruto's fifth birthday went off without a hitch. Sadly Naruto didn't manage to complete the training he needed to get his own bo-staff, but Kinome more than made it up to him with her gift.

"Cool!" Naruto shouted in glee as he pulled the fabric from the box. It was a black scarf, identical to his mother's, except for the colour, and lack of hitai-ate on the front. Curving, orange flames were sewn onto the ends of the tails, which would drag along the ground if he wore it now, because of his height. When it was wrapped around his neck, the collar would cover the entire upper part of his chest, the tops of his shoulders, and be high enough to block the view of everything on his face below the eyes.

"Thanks, mom!" He exclaimed as he wrapped Kinome in a tight hug, which was easily reciprocated.

"You're welcome, sweetie." She said, kissing the top of his head.

Sarutobi's gift was an even greater surprise.

"What's this?" Naruto asked, as the old man opened a very large scroll on the floor. Looking closely, Naruto saw the manes 'Sarutobi Hiruzen', 'Sarutobi Asuma', and 'Sarutobi Kinome' written in what appeared to be blood.

Sarutobi beckoned Naruto to come sit by him. Naruto flopped down beside his grandfather, leaning into his mother, who sat behind him, watching the proceedings with great interest.

Sarutobi patted the scroll reverently. "This, Naruto, is the summoning contract of the Sarutobi clan. By signing this, you will be able to summon our family's allies, the monkeys."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "What do you mean, 'summon monkeys'?"

Sarutobi merely smiled, and bit his thumb, bloodying it, before slamming in to the floor as the seal formula rushed from under his palm. A cloud of smoke cleared, and Naruto's eyes widened in amazement when he saw the small, brown chimp, wearing a red vest sitting in front of him. A faint memory briefly resurfaced, and Naruto turned quickly to his mother. "I remember you used to do that when I was little!"

Kinome smiled. "That's true. I used to summon them for you to play with. I remember you used to enjoy it."

The small chimp looked around for a moment before looking up at Sarutobi. "Hey, Sarutobi-sama, what do you need?"

Sarutobi smiled down at the monkey. "Sorry for disturbing you, Taka. I just summoned you as a demonstration for my grandson Naruto, as he is about to become your latest summoner."

Taka turned to look at the small blonde. "Naruto? I think I heard some of the other guys talking about you."

Naruto bent forward to look better get a look at the monkey's face. "Probably, I used to play with some of you when I was little."

The small animal snickered. "You're still small, kid."

Naruto's face immediately became a mask of anger. "Hey, I'm a lot bigger than you, you little fuzz ball!"

"Who you callin' a fuzz ball, shrimp!?"

Sarutobi leaned past the argument, to whisper to a giggling Kinome, "Doesn't that remind you of when you signed the contract?"

Kinome laughed. "Yes, but I seem to remember that the monkey I argued with was a lot bigger. I wonder how old Barigoo is doing, I haven't summoned him in a while."

Sarutobi smirked, and broke up the argument before it came to blows. "Okay, Taka, you can go home now. Thank you for your time."

Taka nodded and left, but not before pulling down his eyelid and sticking out his tongue at Naruto.

"Stupid little plush toy!"

"Now, Naruto, all you need to do is write your name in blood in one of the empty spaces."

"Why?" Naruto grumbled, still glaring at the spot where Taka disappeared. "They sound like little rude balls of hair. What good would they be in a fight?"

Sarutobi chuckled. "Well, the smaller ones could be used as scouts, thieves, or distractions. As they get older, they learn taijutsu, kenjutsu, and even some ninjutsu. The Monkey King, Enma, is my partner in battle, because not only is he the leader of the monkeys, and the most powerful, but he can also turn into a diamond hard staff that I can use in battle."

Naruto's eyes were wide. "Wow, really!?" He asked excitedly.

Sarutobi nodded. "Yes. So, do you want to sign?"

Naruto nodded, and scooted over to the scroll, beside his grandfather. He bit his thumb, and carefully wrote his name, just below his mother's, in his best writing.

"Na…ruto…Uzu…maki. Done!"

"Good. Now, all you need to do is perform these hand seals." He showed him them slowly. "When you gain the monkey's trust, you can ask them to give you a summoning tattoo, which will allow you to summon without seals. This will save you precious time when in a fight."

Kinome nodded. "Yes, it does." She looked at Naruto sternly. "But you come see me before you even think about getting _any _tattoos, do you understand, mister?"

Naruto hastily nodded as Sarutobi laughed. Reining in his amusement, he nudged Naruto's shoulder. "Go ahead. Just form the seals, push as much chakra into it as you can, slap your hand to the ground, and say **Kuchiyose no jutsu**."

Naruto nodded, and began to form the seals. When he finished the last one, he took a deep breath before slapping his hand to the ground. "**Kuchiyose no jutsu**!"

Naruto couched as the resultant smoke got in his face, and frantically waved his hand to fan it away. When it finally cleared, Naruto looked up in awe.

Standing in front of him was a large, black furred monkey, which was taller than even Kinome or Sarutobi. It's arms, legs, and chest bulged with muscles, and Naruto saw that it wore a pair of baggy, ninja-style pants, with a hole cut out of the back for it's tail. It's forearms were clad in a pair of vambraces that looked like they were made of rough stone, and it carried in it's hands a thick club which was as long the monkey who held it was tall. It looked around for a moment before noticing the three humans sitting at it's feet.

"Sarutobi-samas, you summoned me?" He asked in a gravely voice, looking between Kinome, and Sarutobi.

Kinome shook her head, smiling proudly. "Nope! That was my son." She said, gesturing to the small boy in her lap.

"Indeed?" The monkey quirked an eyebrow as he kneeled down to Naruto's level. "And what name does our newest summoner go buy?"

"I'm Naruto!" He proudly declared, jabbing a thumb to his chest.

"Greetings. I am Farsu. I look forward to fighting alongside you in battle."

Naruto chuckled nervously as the summon's beetle black eyes stared at him. "Likewise."

Farsu nodded, and turned to the elder family members. "If that is all, then I shall inform the king of our newest summoner."

"Yes, that is all, Farsu. Please give Enma my regards."

The monkey nodded back, and dispelled itself. As soon as it was gone, Kinome laughed in delight, and hugged Naruto tightly. "That was great, honey! A summon that size, at your age! It was incredible!"

Naruto blushed at the praise. "Thanks, but Farsu kind of freaked me out."

Kinome, and Sarutobi chuckled. "Farsu's a born warrior. He believes that you should show respect to those you fight beside, and it will be returned. It's a shame that not many people believe as he does nowadays."

"Yeah, but luckily some of them are a little less formal." Kinome agreed. Then she looked down at Naruto. "What's say we have some cake before we call it a night?"

After gorging himself something rotten, and bidding goodnight to his grandfather, and mother, Naruto sighed contently, snuggled up in his bed. He'd had a great day, got some awesome gifts, ate good food, and even made some new friends in the monkeys. Life was good.

Unfortunately for him though, the good times were quickly coming to an end.

* * *

**A/N: This was just a filler chapter. The next chapter is where it all kicks off. As you have probably already guessed, there will be two major points of****AU-ness in this story.**

**The first is that Konohamaru will be born later than he is in cannon. Moegi, and Udon will also be younger because of this.**

**The Uchiha Massacre **_**may **_**also take place earlier than cannon, forcing Sasuke to enter the academy as an asshole, instead of growing into it.**

**A small notice on character art: I am in the process of drawing Naruto as he will appear in this story, and I have just completed my drawing of Kinome. I will post them when I can.**

**Please review, and give your opinion.**

**Ja ne!**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Kinome groaned as got up off her knees, flushing the toilet as she did so. This had been the third morning in a row that she had been sick, and she was enjoying it less, and less. After rinsing her mouth out to get rid of the taste, she staggered back into her room to prepare for the day ahead, hoping her stomach would settle soon.

Sadly it was not to be.

When her father arrived later that morning, he immediately noticed her pale, and slightly drawn face. Concerned, he asked, "Are you alright, Kinome-chan?"

She nodded tiredly, rubbing her temple. "Yes, Father, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." He countered, pressing the back of his hand to her sweaty brow.

She sighed, and leaned into his touch. "I've got a bit of a bug. It's been making me throw up every morning for the last three days."

"Maybe you should go to see the doctor." He advised.

Kinome just waved it off. "It's fine, just a bug."

Sarutobi sighed. If there was one thing all Sarutobi children inherited, it was the legendary Sarutobi stubbornness, and Kinome was no exception. If you tried to force her to do something, she would dig her heels in to avoid it, even if it was in her best interests just because she didn't like others controlling her life. There was only one thing that would make her go to the doctors now. "But what if this mystery bug is contagious, and Naruto catches it?"

That stopped Kinome in her tracks. There wasn't a thing in this world that could force her to do something she didn't want to. Except Naruto. She had always promised to protect him from everything, be it monsters under his bed, the more narrow-minded inhabitants of the village, or even some irritating stomach bug. She sighed. The old man had cornered her with that one.

"Fine! I'll go to the stupid doctor." She grumbled petulantly.

Sarutobi chuckled at her childishness, and ruffled her hair, like he did when she was little, ignoring her indignant whines of protest. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he walked her to the entrance. "I'll take care of Naruto. If it takes long, I can even supervise his training."

Kinome hugged, and thanked her father before turning and leaping over the gate, and heading off towards the hospital.

"Where's mom going?"

Sarutobi turned to see a seven year old Naruto peeking round the entrance door, already in his training clothes, watching his mother's retreating form. Sarutobi led the youth back into the house, closing the door behind him, and led him towards the library. "Your mother isn't feeling well, so she went to see the doctor."

"Is she okay?" Naruto asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

Sarutobi smiled down at his grandson. "She's fine, it's probably nothing more than a stomach bug. Now, I believe it's time for your history lesson."

Naruto groaned.

* * *

Kinome was perched on the table in the examination room, idly swinging her legs back, and forth. As ninja had to be fit for a mission at the drop of a hat, the hospital had a policy of tending to their wounds, and illnesses first, then the civilians. This caused a lot of grumbling from ill , and disgruntled patients, but no one was about to challenge it, not if they wanted to stay on the good side of the equally ill, and disgruntled, but still highly trained killers. No Konoha ninja would harm those under their protection without reason, but the fact that they took lives nearly on a daily basis to protect the village never left the civilians' minds for long.

She sighed in boredom. The doctor had taken all kinds of tests, and now she was stuck here waiting for the results. She wished they would just give her some medicine for the vomiting, and free her from this sterile hellhole. She idly wondered if she could just leave a clone here, and head off home.

She was brought out of her musings of escape by the return of her doctor. He was looking through some charts, and sat on a stool in front of her, checking over the results. After a few minutes of silence, Kinome decided to speak. "So, Doc, what's the good news? Gonna give me some pills for the vomiting, and send me on my merry way?"

"Actually, Kinome-san, we need to do a few more tests." He said, not looking up from his work.

Kinome's shoulders drooped. "Aww, come on!" She whined. "You've done nearly every test there is. All of this for a simple stomach bug?"

"This is no simple stomach bug, Sarutobi-sama."

Kinome sobered a little. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we've discovered the cause of the sickness was an increase in progesterone in your body. There aren't any ways to prevent this, but there are treatments available that can lessen the affects for the whole duration of the condition. I'll get you a pamphlet on it before you leave."

"What are you talking about?" Kinome asked. She was starting to get a weird feeling in her stomach, and it had nothing to do with the vomiting.

"Congratulation, Kinome-san." The doctor said, finally looking up from his work. He had a small smile on his face. "You're pregnant."

* * *

Naruto hit the ground with a thud, and a groan. He weakly glared up at the smirking old man in front of him. "It's not fair. You're old, there's no way you should be this good."

Sarutobi chuckled as he offered the end of his staff to Naruto. The blonde grabbed it, and used it to pull himself off the ground. "Age isn't indicative of skill. I might be old, but what I lack in stamina, I make up for in experience. Never let looks fool you."

Naruto grumbled, but nodded at the advice. After putting away their training gear, the two sat in the main sitting room, casually sipping some water. Naruto lay sideways in his chair, his legs dangling over one armrest, his head resting on the other, while Sarutobi sat comfortably on the couch.

Naruto glanced at his grandfather. It wasn't often that the two were alone like this, so Naruto decided to ask a question he had become rather familiar with over the years. "Hey, Jiji?"

"Yes, Naruto?"

"Why can't I go outside?"

Sarutobi swallowed his water, not looking at his young grandson. Kinome had spoken to him about Naruto's inquisitions into the 'No Leaving The House' rule, and had asked his advice on the matter of what to tell him. He agreed that Naruto was too young to know, but he also knew that Naruto was rapidly approaching the age when it would be impossible to hide it anymore. He just hoped that the fallout wouldn't be too bad. He also hoped that the repercussions of keeping Naruto cut off from all outside contact wouldn't come back to bite them. Apart from him, Kinome, a few of the Monkey summons, and perhaps some of the servants from when he lived at the Sarutobi Estate, Naruto had never met anyone outside the compound.

He took a long breath before letting it out in an explosive sigh. "Naruto…that's something that we can't tell you yet. I know that you've been asking your mother that same question, but I agree that you have to wait. We wouldn't think of keeping this secret from you forever, but you're still too young to be told. I promise that we'll tell you before you enter the academy, but not before then."

Naruto pouted. His grandfather was as tight lipped as his daughter. "You promise to tell me before I start the academy?"

"Yes, I do."

"Alright." Naruto conceded. "So what do we do now?"

Sarutobi grinned at the young boy. "Math."

Naruto pleaded for mercy as his grandfather dragged him off to continue his studies. He absolutely _detested _math…

* * *

Anko thumped her glass down on the table in disbelief as she stared at her friend. "Pregnant?"

Kinome nodded as she took another sip of her tea. After she left the hospital, the first thing she did was go to her friends Anko, and Kurenai for advice. They were seated in a small café in the western side of the village. It was out of the way of the usual hustle and bustle of the inner village, and gave of a feeling of simplicity. It was one of Kinome's favourite places in the village.

Kurenai poured herself some tea, and brought the cup to her lips, inhaling the scent as she looked over at her friend. "Who's the father?"

Kinome set her cup down with a sigh. "You remember a few weeks ago when you dragged me to that new club that just opened up?"

Anko and Kurenai nodded.

"Yeah, well, I was talking getting another drink when I ran into Loki." Hirama Loikitastu, or Loki as he preferred to be called, was a ninja they had attended the academy with. They weren't best friends, but there was a sense of closeness between them. "Well, you," She pointed to Kurenai. "Were talking to Yuugao, and you," She pointed at Anko. "Were giving vertical lap dances to anything on two legs."

"Hey!"

"Oh please, you know it's true!"

"Yeah, but still…"

Kinome just ignored her pouting friend, and continued with her story. "Well, we hadn't spoken in a while so we started talking, ordering more and more drinks as we went. Eventually I lost sight of you two, and me and Loki got more and more drunk and…"

"And?" Kurenai gently prodded.

"I kissed him."

"You kissed him?" The other two repeated.

Kinome nodded. "It was a spur of the moment thing. Anyway, eventually we left the bar. He offered to take me home, but I couldn't tell him where I lived."

Anko, and Kurenai nodded in understanding. As Kinome's best friends, they knew exactly why she couldn't tell Loki where she lived. They knew all about Naruto, and they knees how Kinome felt about him. They had even offered to look after him occasionally, but neither Kinome or the Hokage wanted too many people to have regular access to the compound as that could lead to a security breach. It would only take a convincing enough **Henge **to be able to get close enough to Naruto to harm him.

Kinome continued, "I was way too drunk to try and make it home on my own so he took me back to his place, and one thing led to another, and…"

"You slept with him." Kurenai finished for her.

Kinome nodded, and rested her head on her folded hands with a groan. "What do I do?"

Her friends were silent for a moment, before Kurenai sighed, and took a sip of her tea. "We'll, the first thing you should do is go talk to Loki. You should also talk to your father, and Naruto." She glanced at Kinome with slight unease. "Unless you plan to…"

Kinome shook her head vehemently, effectively cutting her off. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but there is _no way_ I'm getting an abortion, that's for damn sure!"

"I knew you'd say that." Kurenai muttered, downing the rest of her tea. "The only advice I can think of is: talk to Loki, and your family. They're the ones you need to talk to the most. And don't worry, we'll be there to help you no matter what. Right, Anko?" She asked as she rested a hand on Kinome's shoulder.

Anko grinned as she placed her hand on Kinome's unoccupied shoulder. "Of course! You won't let me near Naruto, so now I have another one of your kids I can corrupt."

Kinome chuckled, placing a hand over Anko's, and resting her cheek against Kurenai's. "And you wonder why I don't let you baby sit."

* * *

Kinome did follow her friend's advice eventually, after mourning the fact that she couldn't touch any alcohol at what was undoubtedly one of the most stressful times of her life.

Loki was shocked of course, sitting in shock for well over two hours before Kinome smacked him out of his stupor. After a long conversation, they decided that they would keep the baby (a fact that was quickly decided after Kinome promised that if he used the words 'abortion' or 'get rid of' then this would be the only child he would ever have), but they both agreed that a relationship wouldn't work out, so they would share custody. Since Kinome was better prepared to care for a child (the Sarutobi fortune was nothing to be scoffed at) it was decided that the baby live with Kinome. In the end things worked out better than they both expected. Loki didn't make for the hills, like Kinome was expecting, and Kinome didn't rope him into a marriage, like Loki feared would happen.

At least _that _meeting went well. The one with her father did _not_.

For Loki's safety it was decided that Kinome be the one to break the news to her father. It seemed that no matter how old a man got, the 'overprotective father gene' would never go away, and as such Sarutobi was half way through an assassination order with Loki's name on it before Kinome bopped him over the back of his head with her staff. After the elder Sarutobi calmed down (with help of copious amounts of smoking), Kinome was able to explain the circumstances. While Sarutobi was relieved at the fact that Kinome was going to face her responsibilities head on (which was pretty much guaranteed when she'd been looking after Naruto for so long), he still made it clear that he was disappointed with her for her lack of judgement, but also that he'd always be there to help.

The talk with Naruto was by far the easiest of all. He was bouncing of the walls at the prospect of having a little brother or sister to play with. Never having even seen another person his age, it was understandable. He was always asking questions about his new sibling. Would it be a boy or a girl? When would it arrive? Would there be more than one? He just craved knowledge about the latest addition to their family. Although he didn't much care, he was hoping just a little that it would be a boy. Family or no, he didn't much like the idea of a girl bringing cooties into the house. His mom was okay. Moms didn't have cooties, it was scientific fact.

Currently the soon-to-be big brother was sitting on one the surface of one of the compound koi ponds, leaves attached to his hands, forehead, elbows, knees, and feet, an open scroll in his hands. He was reading up on shougi in preparation for his meeting with Enma, the King of the Monkey summons. His grandfather had explained that the way to earn Enma's respect, and the right to summon monkeys for use in battle, was to beat Enma at a game of shougi. The reason for this was that the monkeys were noble warriors by nature, and would only fight with those who possessed the mind of a warrior. Meaning that if you didn't show skill with plans and tactics then you were on your own. It was a fair test in Naruto's opinion.

Hearing one of the doors slide open, Naruto looked up to see his mother and grandfather enter the courtyard. He smiled as he saw his mom. She was beginning her third month of pregnancy, and the slight bump of her stomach showed it. He didn't know what it was, but she seemed to glow with happiness. Or at least, she usually did. Right now that glow seemed to be caused by anger, judging from the look on her face.

"Hey mom, Jiji!" He waved. Kinome smiled back, although he could tell she was still mad.

"C'mere a minute, sweetie, there's something we need to talk about." Kinome told him.

Confused, Naruto rolled up his scroll, and allowed the leaves to fall from him before he walked to sit at the side of the pond with his family. Kinome wrapped an arm around him, which he leaned into as Sarutobi stood before them.

"Naruto," The Hokage began. "I've been talking to your mother, and we've decided--"

"_You _decided." Kinome cut in with something akin to a growl, which startled Naruto. He'd seen his mother angry at anyone before."

Sarutobi sighed. "_I _decided that it would be best if your mother got as much rest as she can during her pregnancy. So I put forth the idea that, in two months time, she move back into the Sarutobi compound until the baby is born."

"An idea which I am one-hundred percent against." Kinome added. "I'm not an invalid, or some delicate doll. I can stay here until the baby is born, I don't need to be hidden away, and I don't want to leave Naruto here all by himself for that long."

Sarutobi sighed tiredly. He didn't want to leave Naruto all by himself either, but there was too much danger with Kinome staying at the compound in her condition. Even if he posted guards, something that neither he nor Kinome wanted to do because of the possibility of a Naruto-hater being assigned, there was always the chance of her, and the baby, being hurt in the crossfire. This wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for Naruto. She would go back to the compound in a second if she could take him with her, but that wasn't possible. The Sarutobi compound was scheduled for a complete renovation, and while the servants didn't have a problem with Naruto, the civilian workers would undoubtedly bare some animosity towards him. It only took one to tell someone on the council, and that could cause a lot of problems. If the Naruto-haters thought that the Sarutobi's were housing Naruto, they'd cause all sorts of trouble. They had been lucky so far as only a few pockets of hostile civilians actually knew were Naruto lived, and there was always a chance that if they tried to round up others like them to try harm Naruto, they would blab to someone that _didn't _hate Naruto, and that could land them in jail or worse.

"Why does she need to go?" Naruto asked.

Sarutobi smiled down at the blonde. "Pregnancy is a very stressful time for women, Naruto, and they need all the rest they can get or it could put them or the baby in danger."

"And I'm guessing that I won't be able to go with her." It was more of a statement than a question.

Sarutobi sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry, Naruto, but it's connected to the reason why you can't go outside."

Naruto's face remained stoic. "The same reason I _still_ haven't been told?"

Sarutobi rubbed his forehead helplessly. "Naruto...I promises that we would tell you before you start the academy. That's only a few months away after you turn eight. I promise that there is good reason for these restrictions, but I ask that you trust me until then. Believe me, there is good reason for all this."

"No!" Kinome cut in forcefully. "Don't try to butter him up, old man. If he doesn't want me to go then I'm staying here, and believe me," Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Nothing would force me out."

"Mom."

Both Sarutobi's looked down at Naruto, who had a soft resigned smile on his face. "You should go."

Kinome blinked. "Naruto…"

Naruto just shook his head. "If it's best for the baby then you should do it. It'd be selfish of me to put my little brother or sister at risk just because I wanted you all to myself." He chuckled lightly. "What kind of ninja will I be if I can't last a few months without my mommy?"

Kinome looked at her son sadly. Even though he'd never met his sibling, he was doing what was best for the baby, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness. It may have been only for a few months, but for a young child that was a long time. Smiling softly, she pulled him into an embrace, and kissed the top of his head. "You're going to be a great big brother, Naruto. This baby's going to be very lucky."

Naruto grinned up at his mom. "I'm going to be a big brother, it's my job."

Kinome laughed. "And you'll do a fantastic job of it. I promise that when I do go I'll come back and see you as often as I can."

Naruto smiled. "At least we still have two months. Until then we'll have tons of fun, right?"

Kinome smiled back. "Right."

* * *

It was nearly midnight. The full moon shone high in the inky black night, it's light breaking through the gap of the curtains, illuminating the shuddering figure occupying the sole bed in the room. The thick sheets were wrapped around her body, which was curled into a tight ball of misery. Her chocked sobs were the only sound that permeated the nightly silence. Kinome wiped at the tears which fell from angry red eyes, but no matter what she did, more fell. She buried her face into her pillow to muffle more cries of anguish.

She received the news little over two hours ago. She'd been in her father's office, discussing the security arrangements for Naruto…

_*****Flashback Begins*****_

"_No." Kinome said firmly._

_Sarutobi sighed wearily. "Kinome-chan--"_

"_Not. A. Chance. In. Hell."_

"_He's the best choice we've got." Sarutobi tried to reason._

_Kinome narrowed her eyes at her father from across his desk, her arms folded stiffly across her chest. "There is _no way in hell_ that I'll allow Hatake Kakashi to look after my son."_

"_Kinome, he wouldn't harm Naruto." Sarutobi tried to reason._

_Kinome just shook her head. "I don't care. I know he's thawed a little towards Naruto over the years, but I know he still resents him."_

"_He doesn't blame Naruto for Minato's death."_

"_Yes, he just hates him for being the Kyuubi's container. Trust me, if you let him talk to Naruto he'd be a cold, spiteful bastard. I don't want someone like that looking after my son. Why can't Kurenai or Anko look after him?"_

"_Anko's busy with an important investigation, and Kurenai's still a Chuunin, we'd agreed that it should be someone of high Jounin level that guards Naruto." Sarutobi told her._

_Kinome sighed. "I wish Nii-chan was still here. I'd feel a lot easier if he looked after him."_

_Sarutobi nodded silently. His two children were very close. Kinome had been heartbroken when her older brother left to join the Guardians. He'd wager that if Asuma decided to return he'd be greeted by a warm hug…and a severe beating. She'd probably break his legs as 'incentive' not to take off again._

"_Kinome, Kakashi's one of the best ninja we have. He wouldn't let his personal feelings influence the mission. Plus there aren't many others to choose from." Sarutobi stated._

"_But…what about…fine!" Kinome relented reluctantly. "Bring the pervert in, and we'll talk to him."_

_Sarutobi immediately sent out a messenger to fetch Kakashi, with a strict warning that if he wasn't here in the next five minutes Sarutobi would ban Icha Icha and facemasks from Konoha (not that he'd _ever _ban those loveable orange books). True to his tardy nature, Kakashi arrived with ten seconds to spare, entering with his porn out, a perverted blush upon his face. He looked up at the exasperated old man, and the fuming woman, with something translatable to a sheepish look on what was visible of his face._

"_Sorry I'm late, there was--"_

"_Kakashi, I'm not in the mood for your preposterous excuses. Sit down, put your book away, and listen." Sarutobi interrupted. He was in no mood for Kakashi's eccentrics, and he was pretty sure Kinome would give him a pretty personal introduction to her staff if she had to put up with him for too long. "Kakashi, I'll be blunt. I've called you here because you'll be taking on an S-rank mission for the next few months. It's a bodyguard assignment. Specifically, you'll be guarding Kinome's child."_

_Kakashi turned a concerned eye to Kinome, his gaze flickering to her stomach for a moment. "Is someone out to hurt the baby?"_

"_No." Sarutobi told him. "The baby's fine. The person you'll be guarding is…Kinome's other child."_

_Kakashi blinked in confusion. "I wasn't aware that you had a kid already."_

_Kinome glance away. "He's adopted."_

_Sarutobi continued. "His existence has been kept secret from the village for security reasons. We haven't even been able to officially adopt him because of…hostile elements within the village itself."_

_Kakashi whistled, and leaned back in his chair. "For a kid, it sounds like the child is someone pretty important, and the fact that the mission rank is S-rank only confirms it. Mind telling me what makes this one kid so special?"_

_Sarutobi glanced at Kinome, who raised a brow telling him 'this was your idea, you tell him'. The aged Hokage sighed before he dropped the bomb. "He's so important because he's the Jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi no Kitsune."_

_Kakashi tensed very slightly, but both Sarutobi's caught it. "Really?" Kakashi asked flatly, his tone a lot more neutral. "I thought no one in the village knew where he was for certain?"_

"_Looking for him Kakashi?" Kinome asked, her voice as cold, and as sharp as artic winds._

_Kakashi spared her a momentary glance before looking ahead again. "No, just commenting on what I heard from the local grapevine."_

_Sarutobi continued in spite to the interruption. "We hid him in the Sarutobi compound for the first three years of his life to make sure he received the care he needed, and when he was three we moved him, and Kinome, to the abandoned Hittori compound near the edge of the village. The area around the compound was empty for many blocks so we thought it the best choice of place to hide him."_

"_I see." Kakashi said, his tone still irritatingly level. "And why have I been chosen for this…_honour?"

_Sarutobi linked his fingers before him as he addressed the Jounin. "In spite of our best efforts Naruto's location has been leaked. We think it was a Hunter-nin returning from a mission who decided to cut through the deserted part of the village, and saw Naruto in the compound. Luckily they never saw Kinome. When this Hunter-nin told his friends of his discovery, they decided to get some measure of revenge against the Kyuubi, and snuck into the compound to kill Naruto, but when they snuck into the compound Kinome intercepted them before they could find Naruto. She has full authority to kill anyone, ninja or civilian, who pose a threat to Naruto, and she has exercised that right to the fullest extent. We don't know how many people are aware of Naruto's location, but to date there have been fifty-seven assassination attempts, all at night. Your mission will be to guard Naruto from 9am to 9pm. Kakashi, at night you will kill _anyone _who enters that compound at night. You will also not interact with Naruto during that time, and he must not know he is in danger or that he has a guard. On most days either myself or Kinome will be with Naruto so you can go home and rest, not that you'd need to worry about an attack during the day anyway. The mission will last until Kinome delivers her baby. You are to tell _no one _what you are doing, where you are doing it, and you mustn't let anyone see you entering or exiting the compound. Do you understand?"_

"_Ha, Hokage-sama." Kakashi replied. There was no point in fighting it, plus with the order that the kid wasn't to know he was in danger then he didn't have to interact with the blonde, and that'd make his life a lot easier._

"_Oh, Kakashi?" Kinome said, gaining the attention of the two men. Her voice was so deceptively sweet, her face the picture of innocence that you'd think she was part cherub._

"_Yes, Kinome-san?" Kakashi asked warily._

_Neither Kinome's face or voice changed. If anything it got even creepier. "I just wanted to say. I anything happens to Naruto while he's under your watch…" Her voice dropped it's cheeriness, and her transformed into one of deadly seriousness, her eyes becoming dark pools. "…I will brake my staff off so far up your ass that you'll be coughing up pieces of metal for the rest of your life, something that I will make sure is both short, and _extremely _painful. Understand?"_

_Kakashi, despite being a war survivor, and world renown Jounin, couldn't held but squirm slightly under that intense gaze._

"_Kinome, I'm sure Kakashi would never allow any harm to come to Naruto while he was under his care. Would you, Kakashi?" The Hokage's voice was one of gentle neutrality, but Kakashi say the promise in his leader's eyes, one that promised him that if he allowed any harm to come to his adoptive grandson, then not a force on this earth would save him._

_Kakashi could only gulp, and nod. "Of course, Hokage-sama."_

_Sarutobi smiled, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Alright then. Kakashi come by here tomorrow, and we'll go over all the details, Kinome why don't you--"_

_Suddenly the door burst open, causing the three ninja in the room to draw kunai, only to relax as they recognised the intruders._

_Uzuki Yuugao stood in the doorway. Her Jounin uniform was torn, and burned in places, blood and grime coating her entire body. Behind her, her team mates Gekkou Hayate, and Yamashiro Aoba were in pretty much the same condition, with Hayate's arm in a sling, and bandages over Aoba's face._

"_Report!" Sarutobi barked._

_Yuugao took a deep breath before answering. "Sir, we were returning to the village after our mission to Grass Country. We were a few miles outside of Konoha when we were attacked by a group of missing-nin from what looked like Sune, Iwa, and Ame. We were outnumbered two-to-one, and were forced to make a fighting retreat towards the village. By chance we ran into a party of Hunter-nin leaving for a mission. The missing-nin broke off, and the Hunter-nin took off in pursuit. Since the enemy numbers were thinned so much from battling both us, and the Hunter-nin we didn't think we would be needed, especially with our injuries."_

"_Were there any casualties?" Sarutobi asked._

"…_Yes sir." Yuugao said somewhat hesitantly. She looked at Kinome with something that looked like pity on her face, something that made Kinome incredibly uneasy._

"_Well?" The young Sarutobi pressed._

_Yuugao swallowed hard. "I'm sorry Kinome. They killed Loki."_

_*****Flashback Ends*****_

Another body jarring sob left Kinome as she thought about her friend, the father of her baby. A baby he would never get to see, and a child that would never know it's father. She and Loki may not have been in love, but they were close, even closer now considering they were having a baby together. They had spent a lot of time together the last few months, picking out things for the baby, tossing possible names back and forth, getting to know each other more. She'd been surprised to find out that he was rather gifted in the kitchen, and that he was considering opening a restaurant They had also spent many days with Kurenai, and Anko, who teased him without mercy, and kept fishing for details about their one night together, something that Kinome, and Loki both denied them. She was even planning on introducing him to Naruto, feeling that he should at least know about her other child, an idea that seemed even better when she discovered that he viewed the 'hidden' blonde as the hero the Yondaime wanted him to be. There had been a small part of her that had thought that he could fill that empty role of a father figure in Naruto's life, something the young boy had been lacking in his life. She felt that the two would have gotten along wonderfully.

Now that was all gone. Now they were nothing but fond memories and sweet reminiscences. Her child would know nothing of it's father, except what little Kinome knew of is entire life. Loki had lost his parents at an early age, and there was no one else to raise him so there was no other family members that the child could ask about it's father. It seemed that both her children were meant to be fatherless.

"Mom?"

Kinome's bloodshot eyes peeked out from her blanket to see Naruto standing at the side of her bed, a worried expression on his face.

Naruto had heard weird noises coming from across the hall. Deciding to investigate, he left his room only to discover that the sounds were something from his mother's room. Thinking something was wrong, he entered her room to see her curled under her blankets. Slightly scared he called out to her. When her face appeared amongst the sheets, he realised that she was crying, which was something that really freaked him out. In all his life he had _never _seen his mom cry. It just didn't seem possible for her to cry. She was his mom; she was a strong, cool, awesome, badass ninja, there was nothing that could bring her down. So why was she crying?

"Are you okay?" He asked, his little voice full of concern.

Kinome brushed futilely at her tears, not wanting to scare Naruto. He'd never seen her like this, and she knew it had to be freaking him out. "I'm okay, hon." She assured him, her voice thick.

"Then why are you crying?" He asked.

Kinome heaved a shuddering sigh. "I found out that one of my good friends was hurt badly."

"Are they okay?"

Kinome shook her head sadly. "No, baby, he's not okay."

"I'm sure it'll be okay." Naruto smiled slightly, trying his best to reassure her. He didn't like it when she cried, he decided. "Do you want me to keep you company?"

Kinome smiled at the simple gesture. It was all he could offer, and in reality it was everything she needed. "Sure." She nodded. She peeled back the blanket to allow him to crawl in beside her before she let it fall over them. She wrapped an arm around him and pressed a kiss to his head. The pain would take a while to go away, but with her children around she'd make it through in one piece.

* * *

Kakashi sighed. It was four in the morning and he was bored out of his mind. Kinome had left for the Sarutobi compound over three months ago. By now she was well into her eighth month, and pretty soon her baby would be born, at which time his mission would be complete. There had been a few attempts on the boy's life; some Chuunin and Jounin along with quite a few civilians, nothing he couldn't handle. He had been given strict instructions. Anyone who enters the compound at night would never leave. He had no problem with that. He may not like the brat, but those ninja and civilians who went against the Hokage's word were traitors, and he had no problem showing them the errors of their ways, swiftly and with extreme prejudice. His actions had been quick and decisive, and his charge was unaware of the battles for his life that were happening in his own home. Kakashi could proudly state that this mission was looking to be a success.

But for now he was so _bored._

There hadn't been any attacks this month, and Kakashi was just looking forward to getting his pay, and returning to his life. He was already becoming rather pale as a result of his odd hours, and he was pretty sure his body clock would take a while to go back to normal. His few friend would undoubtedly question his months long strange behaviour. Even the fact that most of them had guessed that it was an S-rank mission he was on, it didn't stop them from trying to worm some details out of him. Ninja were a nosy lot.

Oh well. At least he had plenty of time to devote to his precious books.

He was just about to make another sweep of the perimeter when a loud wailing sounded through the night. Startled, he spun towards the centre of the village to see the red warning light flashing brightly, something that was only meant to happen when there was an extreme emergency, which hadn't happened since the Kyuubi attack.

He moved towards the signal before he froze. He had a mission to watch the kid and make sure nothing happened to him. If he left then he'd be leaving _the Hokage's adoptive grandson _without protection. The very fact that his mission was regarded as an S-rank showed it's importance.

'_But the warning siren is just as important, maybe even more so. They only ever sound it if there is a very good reason, usually something that threatens the whole village.'_

He glance back at the window to the boy's bedroom, torn between his choices. He could either go investigate the alarm. Or abandon his charge for a little while. Both choices could have serious consequences.

Kakashi looked back towards the blaring klaxons where he could see other ninja gathering, their shouting barely audible over the alarms. There was no doubt about it, there was something big going on.

"Well…any ninja who were going to attack tonight would rush off to the assembly point even if it was just to find out what is going on, and the civilians would probably be either too frightened to stay outside or go see what all the ruckus is about." Making up his mind, Kakashi turned away from Naruto's bedroom window, and took off full speed to find the cause of the disturbance.

If he had only stayed a few more seconds he would have seen a shadow slip over one of the walls, before slowly making it's way towards the doors of the compound.

* * *

**A/N: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh things kick off next chapter. Secrets are revealed, blood is spilled and changes are implemented that will change the course of the lives of many.**

**Leave a review to tell me what you think. The mysterious bloodline will be revealed soon. May take some time as I lack a good name for the damn thing.**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Naruto lay awake in his bed, staring up at his ceiling, with his hands folded behind his head. It was strange, he decided, for the house to be so empty. Even though it was just the two of them in this big empty compound, it felt so desolate without his mom there. The house felt so quiet without her. Whether it was her humming as she cooked, the sound of her staff cutting through the air as she trained, or even just her steps as she moved about the halls. He also missed the sweet scent of her cooking, the sound of her laugh when a joke was told, her tender care when he was hurt, her loving reassurances when he was scared, her warm hugs in the morning, her scolding of his grandfather when he smoked in the house, her patient teaching, her unending encouragement to try his best…

But most of all, he just missed _her_.

He sighed. She had to go for a reason. One of the things his mother insisted on teaching him was biology, and he knew that her body was under a lot of stress; something that was not good for her, or the baby. His grandfather was right when he said she should be moved somewhere she could get a lot of rest, and be properly cared for. If being lonely for a few months was the price to pay for their health then he'd gladly pay that price a thousand times over. Besides, it wasn't like she _wanted _to leave him alone. That was something she had been quite opposed to. He drew strength from that fact.

But still, it was so dead around here.

Deciding that sleep wasn't going to come any time soon, Naruto decided to get a midnight snack. Kicking aside his cover, he stood, and went to his door. Sliding it open, he stepped into the dark hall. There was more than enough power to run the lights twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, but both he, and his mother decided it was an unnecessary waste, and fell into the routine of killing the compound lights when they settled in for the night. Walking along the shadowed corridor, Naruto couldn't felt but feel a little freaked out. During the day, the compound was one of the most homiest places you could hope to find, but at night the moon's light caused shadows to dance, and play tricks on the mind. The silence felt like an oppressive weight on his shoulders, heightening his other senses, and causing his footsteps to sound one-hundred times louder to his ears. Coupled with the knowledge that he was in this big, empty house alone, and it made for a very unnerving experience.

Finally he made it to the kitchen, and set about making himself a snack, a peanut butter jelly sandwich to be exact. He sat at the dinner table, enjoying his snack in the dark, having not even bothered to switch the lights back on (a testament to how good his night vision was), when he heard a piercing wail echo across the village. Startled, he jumped from his chair, and ran to the window. Just over the top of the perimeter wall, he could see red flashing lights coming from the same direction as the loud horn. His grandfather had told him about this alarm; the early warning system for the village. When the alarm was sounded, it meant that civilians stay indoors, and ninja make their way towards the assembly points to receive further instruction.

'_Something big must be going on.'_ Naruto surmised, taking another bite of his sandwich. Although he was curious, he knew that he'd be in a lot of trouble if he went out to investigate, not that he'd leave anyway. He may not have been happy with his mother's restrictions on sticking to the compound, but he would abide by them for now. They promised that they'd tell him their reasons soon, and he believed them. Never once in his life had they lied to him, and he didn't think they would start now.

Devouring the last of his snack, he quickly made his way back to his room, not willing to be out and about for too much longer. If he thought the compound was creepy when it was dark, and quiet, then it was horror movie material with the wailing of the alarms echoing through the halls, sounding like there was something was prowling the halls, and grounds.

Glancing over his shoulder warily, he quickened his pace, his feet sounding a rapid _thump, thump, thump_ against the floor. Shaking his head at his irrational fear, he turned the final corner…

…only to freeze when he saw the large, hunched figure standing in front of the open door to his bedroom.

Even with the meagre light the moon provided he couldn't see any detail, but thing was broad, that much was for sure. Naruto was sure that even if he spread his arms their widest, they still wouldn't be able to touch both ends of the thing's shoulders at the same time, and the top of it's head would brush the top of the doorframe if it walked under it. Even from here, Naruto could smell the combination of poor personal hygiene, and the stench of too much alcohol wafting from the thing. It seemed to have been looking into his room when he rounded the corner, and hearing his gasp of surprise turned it's head to him, a dark chuckle rumbling from it's throat. Naruto jumped when a low, rumbling, decidedly male voice broke the tense silence.

"Well well, look what we have here. Here's me thinking I'd have to search every room in this place before I found you, and you kindly come to me, which will save me a lot of time. Thank you so much." The shadow bowed in mock gratitude.

Naruto's breath came in small, shaky pants as he stared wide-eyed at the intruder. His feet were frozen in place, ignoring his mental pleas to move, and a cold hand wrapped around his heart, squeezing it in his terror induced state. He didn't know if it was the fact that this stranger entered his home while he was sleeping, or the fact that he was looking for _him _specifically, but Naruto had the feeling that this newcomer didn't have the best of intentions tonight.

"W-w-who are you? W-w-w-what d-do you want?" Naruto managed to force out, amazed that there was any air in his fear constricted lungs.

"Oh, how terribly rude of me! Allow me to properly introduce myself." Stepping into a patch of moonlight, the intruder was thrown into stark relief.

As Naruto had already guessed, the man was huge, with a body that wouldn't look out of place on a professional body builder. For the most part, he was dressed in the traditional garb of a Chuunin; a green flak jacket over a dark blue turtleneck, the sleeves of which were rolled up to the elbow, revealing hairy, but well muscled arms. His shuriken, and kunai pouches were strapped to his dark blue pants, which were taped at the ankle where they descended into his black sandals. Indeed the only difference from the uniform of a regular Chuunin was his hitai-ate. The cloth was pulled over his head like a bandana, the metal resting proudly on his forehead, but part of the blue material was pulled down over the right side of his head, covering his eye, and ear. His face was angular, and weather worn, a few wrinkles on his tanned skin around his eyes, and mouth which bore a small smirk.

"Wanryoku Tekirui, thirty-five years old, Chuunin of Konoha." He said, giving Naruto a small bow.

Naruto, still unable to move, could only repeat, "Wh-what do you want?"

"Well," Tekirui said in a tone that suggested he was having a pleasant conversation about the weather. "When I heard a rumour that a young boy named Uzumaki Naruto was living in this old compound, I just had to see if it were true."

Now the fear in Naruto grew. Since he didn't go out, there was no way he could have interacted with people outside his family, therefore he wouldn't have any business with anyone outside his family.

"What do you want with me?" Naruto asked warily, wanting nothing more than to get away, but he sensed that running would not end well.

"What? You didn't think anyone would come for you, after what you did?" Asked Tekirui slightly incredulously, amazed at the boy's arrogance.

"What do you mean 'what I did'? I've never even been outside the compound, so why would anyone want to get me?"

Tekirui tilted his ear towards Naruto, as if not hearing him correctly, his face showing honest surprise. "You don't even know, do you?" He asked, his amazement at the situation showing in his voice.

Now Naruto was even more confused. "What are you talking about? Know what?"

To his surprise Tekirui laughed in amusement, shaking his head as his chuckles rocked his large frame. He couldn't believe this kid! How could he not know?

"We'll I guess I can indulge you for now. Tell me, boy, what major even happened seven years ago?"

That was easy. "The Kyuubi attack." Naruto answered automatically. The attack had been _the _defining attack of that year. It had been a show of Konoha's will to survive, and overcome the odds, everyone knew that.

Tekirui nodded. "Yes. October tenth, reports come in that the Kyuubi was ravaging towns on the border, and was making it's was towards the village. Barely four hours later, it arrived. We mobilised all available ninja, even taking a few retired fighters, and met the demon head on. It cut through us like a hot knife through butter. Hundreds were killed in the first hour alone, many more were injured. I was a Genin at the time, standing alongside my team, watching the monster simply shrug of our most powerful attacks. No one could stand against it, and any who tried were crushed under the demon's foot, or burned alive by it's fiery breath, or torn apart by it's massive teeth, or flung through the air by one it's powerful tails. A few of the older ninja simply died, the Kyuubi's terrible killing intent causing them to have sudden, and fatal heart attacks. To many, it seemed like Konoha was facing it's final hours. Then word came. The Yondaime had a plan that would defeat the Kyuubi, and save our home. All he asked was that we hold the monster for as long as we could. Filled with hope, we redoubled our efforts, fully willing to die if it meant that Yondaime-sama's plan worked. I assume that you know what happened next?"

Naruto nodded hesitantly, still confused, and scared. "The Yondaime killed the Kyuubi, loosing his life in the process, and saved the village from destruction."

Tekirui nodded. "Very good. Yes, that is what is said in the history books, and taught in the academy. But what you didn't know is that Yondaime-sama _didn't _kill the demon."

Naruto's mouth dropped in shock. "_What!?_ But that's what it says in all the history books! How could he not have killed it?"

Tekirui shook his head patronisingly. "Boy, you shouldn't believe everything you read. You can't kill a demon; they're nothing but large, violent masses of chakra. The Yondaime knew this, so he did the only thing he could: he _sealed_ it."

Naruto shook his head. None of this made sense! "Then why lie? Why say that he killed it when he didn't?"

"It was an order from the higher echelons. They decided that the true events of that night should be covered up, and kept from future generations. They didn't want anyone to know the truth."

Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion. "What do you mean!? Why wouldn't they tell anyone what really happened? Why lie!?"

Tekirui scoffed. "They sought to protect the demon's container. Didn't want anyone trying to get the revenge they deserved."

Naruto placed a hand to his head in frustration. None of this made one bit of sense! Fist a strange ninja breaks into his house at night, looking for _him_ no less, then proceeds to tell him that the Kyuubi isn't really dead, but only sealed, and that those in charge didn't want anyone to know the truth. What was going on?

"Look," He said evenly, trying not to anger the ninja. "I don't know what you're doing here, or what you want with me, or why you're telling me all this, but I think you should leave."

Tekirui tilted his head. "Oh, but we haven't even gotten to the best part." The smirk on the man's face did very little to put Naruto at ease. "Tell me, when is your birthday?"

"October tenth." Naruto answered warily.

"And when did the Kyuubi attack?"

"O…October tenth." The beginnings of dread began to build in his stomach.

"And those whisker marks? Do you know anyone else who has whisker marks like you?" Tekirui's smirk grew.

"No…"

Tekirui was practically grinning. "And do you know why you're not allowed outside this compound? Have you ever even talked to someone outside these walls? Ever met someone else from the village?"

Naruto could only shake his head.

Tekirui's eyes gleamed. "Would you like to know why that is?"

Naruto only stared wide-eyed at the man. Somehow he knew he _didn't _want to know. He just wanted this guy to leave, then go to bed, and forget this conversation ever happened.

Sadly Tekirui didn't leave, and his next words would change the young boy's life forever.

"The reason you're not allowed outside, the reason have those whisker marks, and the reason that you're not allowed out into the village is because…_you_ are the Kyuubi."

Naruto froze. He didn't blink, didn't breath, he just froze where he stood. That couldn't be true, it was preposterous. He couldn't be the Kyuubi, he was Naruto. He had to be lying. _'Is that why I can't go into the village?'_ No! He didn't know why he couldn't do that, but it wasn't because he was a demon! His mom, and grandfather said there was a good reason he couldn't go outside the compound, but _that_ wasn't the reason. _'What if it was though? What if they didn't want to risk letting me near other people?'_ Damn it! That wasn't the reason! He wasn't the Kyuubi! He wasn't…

Slowly, Naruto began to shake his head, tears filling his blue eyes. "No." He said in a chocked whisper. "That's not true. I'm not the Kyuubi, I can't be. I just can't be. They'd have told me if I was. You're lying."

Tekirui just shook his head. "Nope, kid, I ain't lying. 'Got no reason to. You're the demon that attacked the village seven years ago. You killed all those people, and nearly destroyed the village. You killed innocent women, and children. You tore entire families apart. You murdered _hundreds_ of people, and laughed as you did it."

"You're lying!" Naruto screamed at the top of his voice, tears streaking down his face. None of this was true. He had to lying. _'But why would he? He said it himself, he has no reason to lie.'_

Tekirui quirked his visible eyebrow. "You want proof? Alright." He reached behind his head, and undid the knot holding his hitai-ate together. The fabric came apart, and he pulled it off his head.

Naruto screamed.

Tekirui's head was a mass of scars, and burns. The skin was completely bald, every inch of it taken up by pale, puckered scar tissue. It looked like someone had set his hair on fire before dragging him head first through a pile of very sharp razor blades. The man's right ear was missing as well, a ragged hole where it once was.

However it was the man's eye that caused him to scream.

Or rather, his _lack _of one.

Where there should have been a brown orb to match the one sitting in his left socket, there was only a gaping hole. No patch, no eyelid…nothing. The dark hole glared sightlessly at Naruto, and the boy had to choke down the urge to vomit. This…was grotesque. The amount of pain his injuries must have caused. Naruto shivered, his taunt nerves shooting phantom pain through him at the sight.

Tekirui smiled, the effect somewhat ghastly with his empty socket, and mutilated complexion. "I received these when a piece of molten metal hit my face, when the Kyuubi destroyed a warehouse nearby. I was lucky to survive, but lost my eye, and all feeling where the metal touched, having burned away the nerves. _You_ did this. You disfigured me, you killed hundreds of innocents, and you laughed as you did it." He reached behind his back for something. "And that is why you have to die." He finished, pulling out an extra long kunai.

This broke Naruto out of his shock, and fear induced paralysis. His terror reaching new heights, Naruto turned, and ran as fast as he could, Tekirui's voice drifting after him.

"You shouldn't run, kid! You'll only prolong your own suffering!"

Naruto tried to tune him out as he pounded down the halls, turning corners blindly as he attempted to put a lot of distance between him and the psycho in his home. He glanced over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of his pursuer, but he saw nothing but shadows.

Not seeing where he was going, his shoulder bumped one of the walls, and he tumbled to the ground. He was back on his feet in an instant, looking around frantically for any sign of a kunai or hand coming out of the dark. He tried listening for any sound of Tekirui, but all he could hear was the thundering of his heart, and the blood rushing through his ears.

He took of again, loosing track of where he was when he came to a dead-end. Sobbing in panic, he wrenched open a door, slamming it shut behind him. He squinted, trying to see through the gloom, and his tears. The moonlight glinting of a lot of metal caused him o conclude that he was in the main kitchen, the one made to be used by multiple cooks, and servants when the compound was once full. Rows of cookers, grills, ovens, and fridges took up the majority of the space, and another door stood at the opposite end of the room. Naruto felt goosebumps rise on his skin from the low temperature, and the cold tiles made him feel like he was walking on ice.

The sound of approaching footsteps outside the door reached his ears and he frantically looked for someplace to hide. He spotted an empty storage space under one of the counters to the right side of the room. It's positioning would block the view of the door, so Naruto quickly scrambled under the counter, and clamped a hand over his mouth to hush his fear induced pants just as the door to the kitchen was pushed open.

He heard Tekirui pause just inside the room. Naruto heard the man take a few steps on the tiled floor, but he couldn't tell which direction he was moving. Naruto was surprised that he hadn't already been found considering that his rapid heartbeat sounded frighteningly loud to him. He almost gave his position away when Tekirui's shadow appeared on the wall across from him, meaning that he was standing right behind Naruto's hiding place. He saw the shadow's head swivel from side to side as the intruder walked through the kitchen. With a growl the shadow moved out of his sight, and Naruto heard the opposite door open, and close. He didn't move, listening to the sound of Tekirui disappearing down the hall, away from the kitchen. After a minute he finally let himself breath a sigh or relief, and crawled out from under the counter when he glanced toward the door Tekirui disappeared through…

…only to see the man's mutilated face staring back at him through the glass portal in the door.

Yelping in panic, Naruto threw himself through the door he entered from, racing off into the bowels of the compound, hearing his pursuer coming after him. He came to a junction when something whizzed past his ear, forcing him to throw himself prone. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the scarred Chuunin marching down the corridor towards him, a scowl on his face as he pulled his arm back to launch another kunai.

Thinking fast, Naruto launched himself through the door to his right, hearing the weapon pass through the space he occupied a moment prior. He looked around, and saw that he had entered the dojo where he, and his mother trained. He cursed himself as he remembered that there was only one way in or out of this room, and he had just threw himself through it.

'_Crap!' _He thought frantically. _'Oh man, what am I going to do now?'_

He didn't have much time to think as Tekirui stopped at the door to the dojo, his massive frame blocking it. He seemed both amused, and irritated at Naruto's escape attempt, his smirk pulling at his scars, twisting his already twisted visage.

Not really thinking, Naruto jumped to his feet, and grabbed one of the bo-staffs from the weapons rack falling into a perfect, if a little shaky, defensive stance.

This only seemed to amuse Tekirui more, as the large man chuckled. "You really think that'll do you any good, kid?"

Naruto just scowled, and gripped his staff tighter. Tekirui raised a brow, and shrugged. "Fine. Here's me trying to make this whole thing go as quick as possible, and you drag it out. You're only making yourself suffer more, you know."

Naruto lunged forward with a swing, which the man simply blocked with his forearm, not even wincing at the sharp smack of the wood against his skin. Naruto swung again, this time at the Chuunin's legs, but again it was blocked. Naruto continued swinging, using every bit of skill his mother had taught him, but no matter what he tried he couldn't land a hit on the adult.

For his part, Tekirui seemed impressed by the boy's skill. It was definitely better than you'd expect from a kid his age. Hell, it was better than you'd expect from most kids in the academy. He had to admit, the boy's stamina made for a good show, allowing him to attack vigorously, without pause. He was sure that given a few more years the blonde could become a promising ninja. _'To bad he won't be around to see it.'_

Tired of playing, Tekirui caught the child's staff with his right hand, ignoring the stinging sensation, and brought his left hand down upon the shaft, shattering the weapon in two.

Naruto stared dumbly at the short piece of wood in his hand that had been his last hope. Before he could come to his senses, Tekirui grabbed him roughly by the front of his shirt, and lifted him high off the ground, his short legs flailing wildly.

"Sorry, kid, but that's enough goofing around. I need to get back before someone notices I'm gone." He said, reaching for his kunai pouch.

Naruto struggled like mad, but the Chuunin's grip was unrelenting. Suddenly he recalled the words that his mother had drilled into his head during their many spars; _'_In the proper hands, anything could be used to defeat your enemy, even if it's a pebble or even a piece of paper'.

Without really thinking, Naruto reversed his grip on what was once a weapon, and with all his strength, drove the splintered end of the wood deep into Tekirui's exposed forearm.

The Cyclops howled in pain as his arm bled, the wood sticking out of his arm. Unfortunately for Naruto, he didn't relinquish his grip, instead levelling the boy with a hate filled glare that had the whiskered child instantly regretting his actions.

Before he could do more than blink, Naruto's stomach erupted in pain as the massive ninja buried a fist in his gut, using what had to have been most of his strength. A gob of blood flew from Naruto's mouth as stars flashed before his eyes. Tekirui pulled him close, his putrid breath washing over the poor child.

"You little bastard! I was going to make this quick, but now you've pissed me off! When I'm through with you, no one will be able to recognise you!" He drew back his fist, and brought it forward into Naruto's face, braking his jaw, and fracturing his cheekbone.

The blonde flew back, crashing through the dojo wall, and out into the courtyard, hitting the stone paved ground with a thud. He could only spit out more blood as his violent trip exacerbated his injuries. A shadow fell across him, and he barely looked up before a kick to his already abused torso sent him across the ground, hitting the raised stone foundation of the house holding up the wooden walkways around the edge of the courtyard, making them level with the rest of the compound floors.

The enraged Chuunin stomped up to the whiskered blonde, and proceeded to violently stomp on every part of his body that he could, spitting curses as he ignored the child's pleas for mercy, and his screams for help.

Tekirui took out his anger on the defenceless child, using the pain of his injury, and the memories of the night seven years prior to lend him strength. He couldn't even see the boy as his mind supplied images of the horrors he witnessed. He remembered seeing fleeing civilians crushed under the Kyuubi's massive paws, his comrades being burned alive by it's foul breath, and felt the pain as a mass of white hot metal melted his face, burning out the nerves. Unbidden tears came to his eyes as the images replayed themselves over, and over, the sounds, and smells of that night coming back to haunt him as he carried out his well deserved revenge, not just for himself, but for everybody that suffered because of the demon.

When his anger was spent, he stood back from the bloody form at his feet, his leg aching as he gulped down mouthfuls of air. He looked down at the boy as he caught his breath.

The kid was a mess.

Blood soaked through his clothes, and already he could see bruises blooming across his skin, which was lumpy un places where broken bones pushed against his skin. A small puddle of blood pooled underneath him, and most likely even more blood was being spilled internally from ruptured organs.

Slowly, bloodshot blue eyes cracked open to stare up at the distraught Chuunin accusingly. Naruto barely retained consciousness, having blacked out numerous times during his beating, only for the pain to awaken him. Even now, the darkness of blissful oblivion encroached upon his vision, and the only thing he could focus on was the man standing in front of him. From what sounded like a great distance, Naruto heard Tekirui's voice, but their meaning escaped him, like sand through his fingers.

"Sorry, kid, but believe me whey I say you deserve this."

Naruto didn't respond as his vision darkened, the pain of his injuries fading along with his awareness.

The last thing Naruto saw was a flash of white, and the sound of chirruping of many birds filling his ears before the darkness consumed him.

* * *

Unknown to either human, a malevolent entity older than time itself watched the little exchange. He watched the boy's pitiful skills fail him, and tasted his fear as he ran like a coward. Red eyes narrowed in disgust as he saw the child being beaten, crying out for mercy, instead of fighting back.

A chilling growl rumbled forth from the beast's throat as his contempt for humans reached new heights. This was his container? This whelp was pitiful! For a being of such power, and reverence as itself to be sealed within something as damnable, and contemptible as this…_thing_ was an insult greater than any other.

This would not stand. He would _not_ be stuck in a weak container, not until he escaped, and had his revenge on those that sought to imprison him. That human treated the boy like dirt, even when he knew what the boy contained? Obviously they had forgotten the power, and terrible might he showed that night seven years before.

Well, the beast chuckled evilly, they would remember soon enough.

* * *

Kakashi rubbed his eye tiredly. When he had arrived at the assembly point, they were told that there had been a battle in the Uchiha District. When they arrived they found a gruesome sight.

The ground had been slick with blood as bodies lay strewn among the streets. Some looked to have been killed by a blade, others by what looked to be a Katon jutsu of some kind. Throughout the compound, the bodies of the once powerful Uchiha clan lay scattered like rag dolls. They didn't find any survivors. At least, until they came to the main house. There, lying beside the bodies of his parents, was young Uchiha Sasuke. The boy's eyes were rolled so far back in his head that all you could see were the whites, and froth foamed from his mouth as he suffered from some kind of seizure.

Kakashi quickly called for a medic as he checked the boy's vitals. He had an irregular heartbeat, but beyond that there was nothing wrong with him, apart from the fit he was having.

When the Hokage burst through the door, with the medic in tow, he demanded a report, only to do a double take when Kakashi was halfway through his report.

_*****Flashback Begins*****_

"_Kakashi, what the hell are you doing here!?" The old man asked, startled at the Jounin appearance._

_Kakashi blinked as his report was interrupted. "Uh…I heard the alarm, and followed everyone else here where we found the Uchiha dead."_

_Sarutobi gaped at the silver haired prodigy incredulously. Glancing around for possibly eavesdroppers, he grasped Kakashi's arm in a not to gentle grip, and pulled him off to the side of the room. "You left Naruto_ alone_!?" Sarutobi asked in a heated whisper._

_Kakashi couldn't see what was wrong. "We'll the alarm only sounds when something big is going on, so I thought--"_

"_There's a reason he had to be assigned a guard, Hatake!" Sarutobi interrupted. "Or did you forget that there are people out trying to kill him?"_

_Kakashi scratched the back of his head nervously. Sarutobi was pissed. "Well I thought that the civilians would wither be too scared to stay outside with the alarm blaring, or come to investigate it, and any ninja that heard would report to their stations so there would be no danger."_

_Sarutobi actually growled at the Jounin's stupidity. "_Or maybe,_ someone would see this as the perfect opportunity to try to kill Naruto, guessing that any potential guards would respond to the alarm, and kill Naruto in the commotion. Ever think of that?"_

_Kakashi paled. No, he _hadn't _thought of that possible scenario. He'd automatically assumed that the ninjas would do their duty, and the civilians would return to their homes in fear of what was going on._

"_Kakashi, get back to that compound _this instant, _and check on Naruto. Do not leave until I relieve you, no matter what happens. Do you understand?"_

_Kakashi quickly nodded before he took to the rooftops, running full pelt towards the compound where he could find his blonde charge._

_*****Flashback Ends*****_

When he arrived back at the compound he immediately made to check on the boy. He immediately panicked when he found the empty bedroom, but forced himself to calm down. Forcing chakra into his nose, he heightened his sense of smell. There were a lot of tracks around, nearly too many to find to boy's most recent one.

So Kakashi followed the one scent he didn't recognise. The trail wound through the house, turning corners randomly, and sometimes doubling back on themselves. Kakashi had just left the kitchen when he heard a yell, and the sound of breaking wood in the distance. He was off like a shot, nothing more than a blur of colour as he sped through the compound. When he couldn't find a door leading outside, he decided to make one, and barged through the wall, not even pausing as he leapt to the roofs.

He followed the bellowed curses of the intruder to the centre courtyard. When he landed on the roofs surrounding the courtyard, he saw a sight that would haunt him to his dying day.

On the ground lay little Uzumaki Naruto, bleeding, broken, and crying as a man Kakashi recognised as Wanryoku Tekirui viciously stomped on him repeatedly. Over Wanryoku's foul language, Kakashi could hear Naruto's heart rending pleas for help. It was Wanryoku's next words that sealed his fate.

"_Sorry, kid, but believe me whey I say you deserve this."_

White hot fury flooded Kakashi's veins. To do such things to a child, then say that he deserved it…that was unforgivable. Without even having to form the seals, his prized Raikiri sprung to life in Kakashi's hand, filling the night air with white light, and the sound of a thousand chirruping birds. Launching himself off the roof with enough force to destroy the tile, Kakashi flew towards the traitor, who didn't even have time to turn around before the Anbu captain's electrified hand burst through his chest.

Kakashi threw aside the man's twitching body, still filled with the millions of volts from his attack, and kneeled beside the young boy. The same boy he had blamed for his sensei's death. What an idiot he'd been. If the boy was the Kyuubi, or even if he was just influenced by it, then Wanryoku wouldn't have gotten in one hit before he was nothing more than a bloody smear on the wall.

Kakashi pushed those thoughts away as he checked the boy over. It wasn't looking good. Multiple broken bones, and fractures, as well as internal bleeding, ruptured kidneys, and a bruised spinal cord were just the fist on a long line of serious injuries. Kakashi was sure that any other person would have been dead five times over.

Gingerly, he picked the boy up, who moaned in pain, even in his unconscious state. Kakashi cursed as he remembered something, and awkwardly formed the seal for Kage Bunshin. A puff of smoke later, and a perfect copy of the Copy-nin stood beside the original. With instructions to inform the Sandaime of what happened, the clone took of in the direction of the Uchiha District, as Kakashi made for the hospital, careful not to jostle the fragile bundle in his arms any more than possible.

And that was how Kakashi came to where he was now; standing outside the operating room as medics fought to save the life of the boy whose safety he'd been charged with. Kakashi shook his head. What the hell had he been thinking? He should have never left his post, or he could have even left a clone, or one of his nin-dogs, or sent a clone to find out what was going on, or anyone of a multitude of other choices he had.

'_And yet out of all of them, you chose the worst possible one.' _His conscious told him.

He was broken out of his inner chastising as Sarutobi approached. The Hokage marched down the corridor towards him, scattering doctors, nurses, and patients as his robes billowed behind him. One look at his face told Kakashi everything. The Sandaime was beyond pissed.

The old man stopped a few feet short of Kakashi, who, despite being several feet taller than the Hokage, felt as if he were cowering before a giant.

Sarutobi only stared hard at the Jounin for several minutes. Finally after what seemed like a small eternity, Sarutobi spoke, his words carrying the full weight of his authority. "Kakashi, I am in no mood for any games tonight. Now you will tell me, without omission, everything that happened tonight. You will tell me why a Chuunin managed to infiltrate the compound, and why my grandson is lying on a table in the emergency room, fighting for his life. I understand your response to the alarms, as it is standard procedure to abandon all tasks in the event that alarm goes off, but what I don't understand is why you didn't leave any protection for the compound in the forms of clones, or summons. If your answers satisfy me, then you may just escape this incident with your rank intact."

Kakashi shuddered as he realise how serious the Hokage was. The silver haired ninja could honestly say he had _never _seen Sarutobi as angry as he was right now, and Kakashi was trying to figure out his chances of escaping this night with his life, never mind his rank. He immediate began retelling everything that had happened after he left the Uchiha District, making sure to include every single detail, no matter how minute. When he told of what he saw when he arrived in the courtyard, Sarutobi's killing intent spiked violently, dropping many of the staff to their knees, and nearly causing Kakashi to follow suit. After several minutes, Sarutobi finally managed to reel in his anger, and allowed Kakashi to continue his report.

He was just wrapping up when a commotion drew their attention to the corridor.

If the Hokage was angry then there were no words to describe the level of fury his daughter was experiencing. It had been Anko who had overheard the clone telling her father that something had happened to Naruto, and that he was in at the hospital. Immediate she, and Kurenai rushed off to tell Kinome, who had been reading in the Sarutobi family library. When she heard something had happened to her son, she tossed the book aside, and made for the door, plans of dismembering Kakashi already forming in her mind. Anko blocked her way, telling her that she shouldn't go out in her state, and that she should wait for word. Barely sparing her a second glance, Kinome grabbed Anko's coat in her fist, and tossed her friend into the chair she had just vacated, and marched out the door, her two friend following, trying to get her to calm down, telling her that the stress wasn't good for the baby. Slowed drastically by her enlarged stomach, she arrived at the hospital far later than she'd liked. After finding out what floor Naruto was on, the trio quickly made their way there, where they saw the Sandaime standing in front of a haggard Kakashi.

Kinome marched right up the Copy-nin, who had a deeply remorseful, and pained look in his eye.

"Kinome-san, I--"

SMACK!

Kakashi's head snapped back as Kinome's fist impacted with his nose, breaking it, and casing blood to soak his mask. She roughly grabbed his vest, and pulled him down to her eye level. Kakashi gulped. He was positive that if the flames in Kinome's eyes were ever let loose then he'd be nothing more than a scorch mark on the ground.

Kinome immediate launched into her rant. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY SON, HATAKE!?"

The killing intent rolled off her in waves, equalling that of her father, and her voice seemed to shake the hospital to it's foundations. Kakashi tried to answer, but she wasn't finished.

"YOUR JOB WAS TO PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS! I THOUGHT THAT FOR SOMEONE WITH YOUR REPUTATION THAT SHOULDN'T PROVE MUCH OF A PROBLEM, BUT HERE I FIND OUT THAT NOT ONLY HAS MY SON BEEN HURT, BUT ALSO THAT_ YOU WEREN'T EVEN THERE TO PROTECT HIM!"_

Kakashi could only shake his head. "Kinome-san…I don't know what I can say…I'm sorry--"

Kinome punched him again, something that no one, not even Kakashi tried to stop. "SORRY!? SORRY DOESN'T EXPLAIN THE FACT THAT MY CHILD IS IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHEN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER YOUR CARE!"

Kakashi could only hang his head in shame. He was pretty sure nothing he said could give her the answers she was looking for.

Kinome sneered in disgust as she shoved the Jounin away from her, who slouched against the was in defeat. Turning away from the group she began to approach the operating room doors when her father called after her.

"Kinome, where are you going?"

Without turning she replied, "To see my son, where else?"

"Kinome, you can't!"

"The hell I can't!" She snarled.

"Kinome, your water broke!"

Kinome stopped dead in her tracks. Looking down, she saw that she was indeed entering the first stages of labour. After a few moments, she finally managed a small, "Oh."

* * *

Naruto groaned as he finally came round, taking a few seconds to try, and get his bearings. After a few second of confusion it all came back to him, and he leapt up with a start, looking around frantically for any signs of the crazed Chuunin, Tekirui. To his immense surprise, he didn't see the deranged ninja, but what was even more surprising was his surroundings.

He found himself in a cavernous chamber, filled up to his ankles in murky water. The walls were made of cracked concrete, and a few flaming torches provided light. As far as he could see there was nothing special about the chamber, besides the fact that he had never been here before, all his injuries were gone, and there was no sign of Tekirui.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck rose as a deep, thundering growl began to build. Very slowly, he looked over his shoulder, and saw what really made the chamber special.

Right behind him, a massive gate stood, the great iron columns that passed for bars being held shut by a large piece of paper with the kanji for 'seal' on it.

But it was what behind the bars that took his breath away.

There, scant meters away from him, stood a gargantuan Nine-tailed Fox, tails waving wildly behind it as red, hate filled eyes glowed in the gloom. The things tower-sized teeth gleamed, and it's razor like claws dug huge furrows into the ground where they gouged.

In his shock, Naruto could only manage the faintest whisper.

"Kyuubi…"

With an earth shattering roar, the demon launched itself at Naruto, it's jaws poised to devour the boy's soul completely.

* * *

**A/N: Phew, well that was intense. I tried to make the chase scene as scary as possible, but I don't think it worked. Oh well. **

**Question: If a person is knocked unconscious, either by a blow to the head, or by drugs, do they still dream or not? I'd really like to know as this will help with the story.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!! I only got a measly FOUR reviews last chapter, which sucked as I worked really hard on it. Remember, reviews inspire me to write more, so click the little green button below, and leave your opinion.**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Naruto yelled out in fright, falling onto his back as the mammoth Fox smashed against the colossal bars separating them. The great beast roared, and thrashed, but no matter what it couldn't break it's confinement. With a snarl of frustration, and a final rap against the bars with a tail, the Kyuubi began pacing it's cage, it's crimson orbs boring into the shivering human before him.

"**SO, YOU'VE FINALLY COME."** The demon stated as it paced. **"I THOUGHT YOU WERE PITIFUL WHEN I SAW YOUR MEMORIES, BUT NOW THAT YOU STAND BEFORE ME I SEE THAT I OVERESTIMATED YOU. TRULY, IT'S A RARE TIME WHEN I SEE A CREATURE SO WORTHLESS."**

Naruto shook as he stared up at the demon, a demon that nearly destroyed Fire Country on it's own. If he ever doubted Tekirui's words before, he had no qualms about accepting them now. This was some pretty damning evidence.

The monster's eyes narrowed at the blonde. **"WHAT ARE YOU GAWKING AT, MORTAL?"**

Naruto gulped, and tried to stammer out a response, but the Fox cut him off.

"_**TO THINK, I'M STUCK IN SOMETHING LIKE YOU.**_**"** The thing sneered in disgust. **"I SWEAR I'LL ENJOY LEVELLING THAT INFERNAL VILLAGE WHEN I'M FREE."**

As the ancient demon muttered curses to his village, Naruto managed to get to his feet, and slowly backed away from the creature, careful not to make and big movements that would catch the Kyuubi's eye.

Unfortunately, the demon had better eyesight than he thought. **"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING, BOY!? I HAVEN'T DISMISSED YOU!"**

Naruto fell gasping to his knees as the Kyuubi's killing intent washed over him. The oppressive energy seemed to steal away his breath, and wrap itself around his throat, chocking him. When the demon finally let up, Naruto fell to all fours, gasping for air.

The Kyuubi stopped pacing, and stood in the direct centre of the cage, staring at it's container as it's massive claws dug into the stone ground. It towered over the frightened child, it's eyes glowing in the darkness.

"**DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU CAME TO BE HERE, BOY?"**

Naruto tried to answer, but his throat felt unfathomably parched.

"**ANSWER ME!"**

Naruto jumped a meter in the air as the demon snapped at him, but allowed him to snap out of his stupor. "I-I-I can't remember. T-The last thing I remember is fighting that Tekirui guy."

The Fox's eyes narrowed slightly. It snorted. **"I SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED NOTHING LESS FROM A HAIRLESS APE. YOU WERE ATTACKED, MORTAL. ONE OF THOSE DISGUSTING CREATURES THAT INFEST THAT RAT'S NEST YOU CALL A VILLAGE SNUCK INTO YOUR HOME, AND ATTACKED YOU. YOU WERE SEVERELY INJURED, BUT MY CHAKRA WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT. I EXPECT YOU WILL AWAKEN IN A FEW HOURS, BUT BEFORE THEN, WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SPEAK OF. OR RATHER, I HAVE SOMETHING **_**YOU**__**WILL **_**LISTEN TO."**

Naruto gulped. Nothing about that could be good.

The monstrous entity began to pace again. **"I WATCHED YOU DURING YOUR BATTLE WITH THE HUMAN WHO ATTACKED YOU. YOU DISPLAYED VERY LITTLE SKILL, AND YOU ALLOWED YOURSELF TO BE BEATEN BADLY. DESPITE KNOWING THAT YOU CONTAINED A BEING OF SUCH POWER AS MYSELF, THAT RODENT STILL TRIED TO KILL YOU. IT APPEARS THAT THE YEARS HAVE IMPAIRED THEIR MEMORY, BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TRIED TO HARM YOU IF THEY REMEMBERED THAT I BROUGHT THEM TO THEIR KNEES WITH THE MOST MINIMAL OF EFFORT."**

"What are you talking about? I've never been attacked before." Naruto flinched at the glare the Kyuubi sent his way.

"**FOOLISH HUMAN! YOU HAVE SMELLED THE EVIDENCE OF THEIR ATTEMPTS MANY TIMES. YOU MAN NOT HAVE REALISED IT, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN DAYS WHEN YOUR HOME REEKED OF BLOOD. WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT BLOOD CAME FROM?"**

Naruto was confused, and hesitantly asked, "But…what happened to them?"

"**YOUR MOTHER. SHE MUST HAVE KILLED THEM DURING THE NIGHT, AND REMOVED THE BODIES BEFORE YOU AWAKENED."**

"Mom…k-killed them?" Naruto asked in disbelief. He knew that as a ninja, his mother was often forced to take lives, but the thought of her actually doing it…

"**INDEED. SHE MUST HAVE BEEN VICIOUS IF THE SCENT OF ALL THAT BLOOD WAS ANY INDICATION!"**

Naruto bit his cheek to keep from retorting. Somehow, snapping at a giant demon didn't seem wise.

The beast continued, **"BUT WITHOUT HER, YOU WOULD BE DEAD SEVERAL DOZEN TIMES OVER. **_**THAT WILL STOP**_**."**

"What do you mean 'that will stop'? It's not like it's something I can control!" Naruto tried not to flinch, but still jumped a little as the Fox's tail struck the gates, an angry growl rumbling in it's throat.

"**DON'T RAISE YOUR VOICE AT ME, MORTAL! I HAVE KILLED FOR FAR LESS, AND YOU WOULD BE NO EXEMPTION!" **The Kyuubi folded it's front paws, and lowered itself to the ground, getting a better view of Naruto. Glaring at the human child, it continued, **"YOU WERE BEATEN BECAUSE YOU DO NOT COMMIT YOURSELF TO YOUR TRAINING. YOU TRAIN FOR SHORT INTERVALS EVERY DAY WHEN YOU SHOULD THROW YOURSELF INTO IT FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN STAND. **_**THAT**_** IS THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU WILL SURVIVE, AND THAT IS WHAT YOU WILL DO."**

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the demon, his suspicion raised. "What do you mean? Why are you telling me this? I mean, you don't seem like the type of…uh, _demon_ that would care about something like that."

The Kyuubi sneered incredulously. **"**_**CARE ABOUT YOU!? **_**DO NOT INSULT ME, HUMAN, IF I COULD, I WOULD WATCH YOU, AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS WRETCHED PIT BURN!" **It leaned forward slightly. **"WHAT I **_**DO**_** CARE ABOUT IS ME. I'M THE GREATEST OF THE TAILED ONES, A DEMON LORD WITH NO EQUAL. DO YOU KNOW HOW INSULTING IT IS THAT, NOT ONLY WAS I SEALED **_**BY**_** A HUMAN, **_**INTO**_** A HUMAN, BUT ALSO THAT MY CONTAINER IS SO WEAK THAT IT CAN'T EVEN DEFEND ITSELF? AND TO ADD TO AN ALREADY GREAT INSULT, THE HUMANS OF YOUR PITIFUL VILLAGE HAVE THE **_**GALL **_**TO ATTACK MY VESSEL, WITHOUT FEAR OF INCURRING MY WRATH! THEY SLIGHT THE GREATEST DEMON TO HAVE EVER LIVED, AND FEEL ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR IN DOING SO! I WILL **_**NOT**_** LET THIS CONTINUE! **_**YOU**_** WILL NOT LET THIS CONTINUE!" **The demon growled, a positively repulsive grin worming it's way onto it's features.

Naruto backed away from the cage, a feeling of pure dread forming a knot in his stomach. "W-W-What can I do!? I'm just a kid!"

The demon chuckled, casing a nauseating feeling to befall Naruto, as if he was going to spew.

"**OH, YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT, HUMAN." **The monster began to glow red, crimson mist leaking off it's skin, and seemed to worm it's way into the walls of the cage.

Naruto felt a warming sensation in his stomach. He touched it, wondering what was going on when the feeling began to change from one of slight warmth, to a dull pain. He wrapped his arms around his torso as the pain continued to grow, and collapsed to his knees, spewing bile from his mouth. It felt like someone was trying to incinerate him from the inside out. As the pain reached excruciating levels, he drew himself into a shuddering, sweating ball as the Kyuubi's manic laughter resounded off the walls.

* * *

Kinome grit her teeth as another contraction hit. She had been in the delivery room for hours, and there was _still _no sign of her second child arriving any time soon.

'_Miracle of birth my ass!'_ Kinome grumbled in her mind as she flopped back onto the bed, sweat pouring of her. She smiled in thanks as Kurenai wiped the beads from her forehead with a cool cloth.

"How are you feeling?" Her red eyed friend asked softly.

"Let's just say that when I get to Heaven, Loki won't be able to sit for a while. Maybe even a few years." She said, exhaustion clearly evident in her voice.

Kurenai chuckled at her friend, and held up a cup of water for her to drink from. Kinome was thankful for it, and drank her fill, relishing the feel of the cold water running down her parched throat. When the cup was empty Kurenai set it aside, running a hand through Kinome's hair comfortingly.

"How's Naruto." The pregnant Sarutobi asked, closing her eyes to try, and get a few moments rest.

"Your father, and Anko are sitting with him now. From what she told me, the doctor says that between their healing, and the Kyuubi's regenerative abilities, he should be fine within a few days."

"Good." Kinome whispered tiredly. Kurenai could see that between labour, and worrying about Naruto, she was taxed out.

"Get some rest, Kinome, you need it. Don't worry about Naruto, he'll be fine." Kurenai prompted gently.

Kinome only nodded, and snuggled into her pillow for a few minutes rest before her next contraction hit.

* * *

One floor below them, a worried Sarutobi, and Anko stood beside the injured blonde's bed. They had sensed a large chakra spike coming from the boy moments before he broke out into a high fever. Immediately they called for the doctor who rushed in, hands glowing with green chakra as she ran a diagnostic jutsu on him. A few moments later, the doctor stood back, confusion on her face.

"Well?" Sarutobi asked. "What's wrong with him?"

The doctor's mouth opened, then closed silently before she managed to speak. "I…I don't know. High fever, chills, shaking, dilated pupils, clammy skin are all indicative of a nasty infection or flu, but I've never seen anything like this." She glanced warily at the Hokage. "Permission to talk about the boy's…_condition_, sir?"

Sarutobi didn't like this. If the Kyuubi was involved then there was definitely something wrong. "Granted."

The doctor took a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. "Well, it seems that there was a large pulse of chakra originating from inside the seal on his stomach. From the best of my knowledge, it seems that _It_ has introduced some kind of agent, or enzyme into the child's system, and it's multiplying rapidly."

"Mind translating that for those of us without a PhD?" Anko asked as she glanced worriedly at her friend's child.

The doctor sighed. "It means that _It_ did something to the boy's DNAstands. A small part though it may be, the beast's cage is still a part of Naruto-kun's body, and is therefore connected to the rest of his cells. From what I can tell, the monster has re-written parts of his DNA, and that the 'virus' for lack of a better word is spreading to his other cells."

Sarutobi, and Anko paled. "You mean the Kyuubi is changing his genetic structure?" Sarutobi asked weakly.

The doctor nodded grimly. "Yes. Truth be told, this isn't the first time _It_ has done so."

"What do you mean?"

The doctor glanced at the shivering boy in the bed. "His whisker marks, his heightened senses, and his rapid regenerative healing abilities for one. From what our test tell us, along with the files from your personal physician when Naruto-kun lived at the Sarutobi compound, his bones are far denser than those of an normal human. He also has sharper than normal reflexes, a heightened metabolism, a near unbeatable immune system, and his cognitive functions are higher than normal. Basically, the Kyuubi has made sure that Naruto-kun has everything he needs to survive in a harsh environment. I'd say that when his body matures, and the changes fully integrate into his system, he'll be nigh-unstoppable." She scoffed slightly. "With the regenerative abilities alone, I'd say that nothing short of removing his head, or destroying his body completely would kill him."

The two ninja were silent as they processed this. The Kyuubi had been making moves to ensure it's survival for years, and they hadn't even noticed. Well, they had noticed, but they never thought anything of it. Sarutobi himself had witnessed the first mutation the Kyuubi had instilled into his grandson moments after it had been sealed, when those accursed marks had been carved into the boy's cheeks. Throughout the years, they had noticed differences in Naruto's body, but hadn't spared a thought that it could have lead to problems, as they had only enhanced his body for the better. Now that moment of indecision was coming back to bite them.

"Do we have any idea what these changes will be?" Sarutobi asked, as he rubbed a hand over his tired face, fighting down the grief he felt for the boy.

The doctor shook her head. "Sadly, no. They could be anything from augments to his already impressive senses…or he could even grow a tail, and fox ears." She said the last part hesitantly.

"A tail!?" Both Sarutobi, and Anko squawked in unison. That was definitely _not_ news they wanted to hear. There were already elements in the village that wanted Naruto either dead, imprisoned, exiled, or made into a weapon. If they thought that Naruto was actually _becoming _the Kyuubi…

The doctor quickly waved her hands in an attempt to avert their fears. "I'm sure it's nothing as drastic as that. Although…" She sighed. "One thing we can be sure of is that this change will be big. None of the other changes the Kyuubi has engineered has caused any of the symptoms Naruto-kun is experiencing now. That can either be because those other changes were implemented over time, or because this change is major. We'd need to run more tests to be sure of the full extent of the alterations."

Sarutobi sighed. "Thank you, doctor. Run whatever tests you need, and please tell me of any developments."

The doctor left the room with a respectful bow, leaving the two ninja in silence. As they gazed upon the small child, shaking, and shivering in the bed, they knew that whatever was happening to him would change his life forever.

* * *

Naruto didn't know how long he drifted in, and out of consciousness. Hell, he didn't know what was real, and what was fever-induced hallucination. Things like time, sight, smell, touch, hearing, and even basic things like knowing which way was up ceased to exist as the fever ravaged his body.

His eyes were running as his body alternated between scalding flushes, and freezing chills. His limbs shook uncontrollably, feeling as heavy as the heaviest lead. His head felt like it was clogged with cement as a powerful migraine pounded away at his mind. Any feelings of hunger, or thirst were forgotten as his body tried to fight off whatever was wrong with it. Coupled with a throat as dry as Suna in it's hottest months, and a general sense of lethargy, and Naruto, if he had been able to think thoughts, would have likened this to what road kill must have felt like. If said road kill was run over multiple times, set on fire, crushed, dragged through a bog, then thrown off a cliff that is.

For God knows how long, he tossed, and turned, curling into a ball of misery, never feeling the nursing staff bath him, change his IV, run their tests, or hear his grandfather's soothing words.

When Naruto thought his misery was at it's peak, he noticed something moving above him, or what he assumed was above. He managed to raise a shaky hand to try, and bat the shadow away, but it avoided his clumsy attempt, turning to another shadow at it's side. Dropping his arm back to his side with a groan at having used up so much energy, he closed his eyes, trying to ward off the blinding light piercing his retinas. Numbly, he felt something poke, and prod him, prying open his mouth, and pulling open his eyes, despite his weak attempts at resistance. Not feeling up to being abused anymore, Naruto drifted of into what had to have been the first peaceful sleep he had since the whole ordeal had started.

* * *

It was many hours later when Naruto woke again. His eyes opened, only to snap shut at the light shining through the window. Giving his eyes a few moments to adjust, he gently opened them again, the light no longer boring into his brain. By the look of the light outside, he'd say that it was late morning, maybe eleven a.m. Still feeling weak, he managed to push himself onto his back with a groan, wincing as he felt his parched throat.

Feeling around with his hands, he managed to find, and press the 'nurse call' button, and waited. He didn't have to wait long before his very relieved looking grandfather swept into the room, a female doctor following swiftly behind.

"Naruto!" The old man exclaimed. "Thank God, you've been out for a while, we were worried."

"Jiji?" Naruto croaked. The doctor must have seen his predicament, and handed him a glass of cold water, which he gulped down greedily, draining it in seconds. He handed the glass back with a smile of thanks. "What happened?"

The doctor busied herself checking Naruto, which he numbly went along with, as his grandfather answered him. "You contracted some sort of virus. You developed a high fever, and drifted in, and out of consciousness. They had to hook you up to an IV to replace your fluids as well. You've been out for just under three days." He hesitated. "…Do you remember what happened after you lost consciousness?"

Naruto placed a confused hand to his head, trying to sort through the jumble that was his memories for the past few days, when he froze, his stomach dropping away in dread. "Tekirui…"

Sarutobi sighed. It seemed that Naruto did recall what happened after all. "Naruto, I'm so sorry. I had assigned a guard to protect you, but there was an emergency, and he left his post. I thought that you would be safe until your mother returned, but obviously you weren't."

Naruto waved a tired hand, cutting off any further apologies. "It's not your fault, Jiji. I know you would have tried to provide the best protection you could."

Sarutobi smiled at that. "Thank you, Naruto. I truly am sorry though."

"What happened to him?" Naruto had to know.

"Your guard returned, and…subdued him before bringing you to the hospital."

"He's dead, isn't he?" Naruto asked, smirking humourlessly when he saw his grandfather wince, and look away. "I thought so. So it was telling the truth after all." He said it more to himself.

Sarutobi was confused. "What are you talking about, Naruto? What was telling the truth?"

Naruto's dulled blue eyes locked with Sarutobi's concerned browns. "Kyuubi."

Sarutobi turned white, his jaw falling open as the shock hit him. Naruto knew. He feared that would be the case after someone penetrated the defences of the compound, but he'd always held a small hope that Naruto hadn't found out his secret, not without his family there to explain things to him. With someone as prejudicial as the Chuunin who attacked him, Naruto would have got a very one-sided explanation.

Sarutobi sighed resignedly. "So Wanryoku told you. He told you what you contain."

Naruto laughed, and Sarutobi winced at the sound. It was so hollow, so unlike the joyous sound he knew.

Still laughing slightly, Naruto stared at his grandfather with a mix of pain, anger, and hopelessness. "Not just that. I met the legendary demon, in person."

Sarutobi's breath caught in his throat, and he managed to turn an even paler white. "You what?" He whispered, not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

Naruto nodded. "Yep, met it in all it's tailed glory. Doesn't like me too much though. Seems to think I'm worthless, and such." He said as if talking about someone he met at the academy on his first day." His forced smirk vanished, and when he spoke it was with anger, and pain. "Why didn't you tell me, Jiji?"

Sarutobi sighed, and sat himself in the chair beside the boy's bed. The doctor saw that this was going to be a very private moment, and quietly left the room, neither of the other two acknowledging her departure.

The Hokage took of his hat, and scratched his balding head. "We were going to. We promised to tell you in a few months before you entered the academy, and we weren't going to break our promise. We just wanted you to have a few years without having to worry about demons, possible attacks, and such things. We wanted you to have a normal life."

Naruto looked down sadly. "But I didn't, did I? I was never allowed outside, never got a chance to make friends, or even allowed to go with mom when she had to go live at the old compound."

"I am sorry, Naruto, but we thought that if you knew, you would become bitter, and resentful towards the village, especially with the restrictions we placed on you."

Naruto was silent, so Sarutobi carried on. "Maybe things would have been better if we had told you earlier, maybe not. We'll never know. All I can saw is that I'm terribly sorry that you had to find out this way. It's ironic really. We didn't want you to leave the compound in case someone with a grudge told you of your burden, yet one did, inside the very compound we tried to hide you in."

Neither laughed at the twist of fate. They just sat in silence, each absorbed in their thoughts. After a few moments, Naruto spoke. "Was Tekirui telling the truth? Am I the Kyuubi?" He asked, a hint of desperation in his words. He needed to know.

Sarutobi flew out of his chair, and grasped his grandson by the shoulders. The look in his eyes was one of complete, and utter sincerity. "No! You are not, never have, and never will be the Kyuubi. You, Naruto, are it's container, it's prison. You keep every soul in this village alive just by existing. Everyone who calls Konoha home owes you a great debt for this, a debt that we may never be able to repay."

Naruto glanced up at his grandfather, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Really?"

Sarutobi didn't speak, but lifted the front of Naruto's t-shirt, and pressed his hand to the boy's stomach, forcing chakra through his palm. Slowly, a seal appeared. Naruto looked at his stomach in amazement as his grandfather spoke. "This is the proof. This seal keeps the Kyuubi bound inside you. It was designed so that, over time, it's chakra would assimilate with yours, thereby destroying the monster forever. _You _are Naruto, _this_ is the Kyuubi." He said vehemently.

Naruto couldn't help it. Tears came to his eyes, and seeing them, Sarutobi pulled the boy into a tight embrace. The blonde had been filled with doubts, and fears that he was the monster, and that he was only kept in the compound to keep him from the populace for their safety. For well over an hour, Sarutobi held Naruto as he cried, letting the boy let out his pain at not only the truth of the Kyuubi, but of the pain of what he went through during the attack.

When his tears finally stopped, he glanced up at Sarutobi, who lessened his hold, but didn't let go. "So, what really happened then? If you were going to tell me, then there's not time like the present."

So he did. For the next hour, Sarutobi retold the story of the Kyuubi attack, and of the Yondaime's plan to seal it at the cost of his own life, and that the Yondaime trusted Naruto to hold, and eventually kill the beast, something that not even the Yellow Flash himself couldn't do. He explained all the intricacies of the Shiki Fuujin, and of what he could expect to gain from the absorption.

When Sarutobi finished, there was a knock at the door, and he rose to answer it. When he saw who it was, he smiled, and called over to Naruto, his robed form blocking the view of the door.

"Oh, Naruto? I think there's someone who wishes to see you."

Naruto looked up at Sarutobi, confused, until the old man stepped aside, causing Naruto's jaw to drop.

There in the doorway, was his mother, but not as he was now used to. She was slender once more, as she had been before she became pregnant, her face filled with happiness. She was clad in her pink robe, and yet seemed to glow, but this wasn't the cause of Naruto's stupefied look.

Held tenderly in her arms, was a baby. It was wrapped in a thick, soft blanket, and Naruto could see it's chubby little arms waving around, trying to reach his mother's face.

Naruto sat in shock as she walked to his bed, sitting in Sarutobi's vacant seat, smiling at Naruto's gob smacked expression.

"I-I-Is t-that…" He could only manage, pointing a shaky finger at the small bundle.

Kinome laughed lightly at her son's expression before answering. "Naruto, I'd like you to meet your little brother, Konohamaru."

"L-Little b-brother?" Naruto stuttered, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Kinome nodded. "Would you like to hold him?"

Naruto nodded hesitantly, and Kinome gently placed the babe in his arms, showing him the correct way to hold him.

Naruto looked down at the baby's face. The face of his little brother. His skin was still a little pink, but he had the same mop of brown fuzz as their mom, but had hark brown eyes with a black pupil, unlike their mother. The baby smiled a toothless smile, and giggled madly as he reached for his big brother's face. Naruto felt a smile creep it's way onto his chest, and held out a finger for him to grab, which the baby promptly put in his mouth. Naruto laughed softly at his little brother's antics.

"Hey, Ko." Naruto near whispered, feeling the pain of the last few hours wash away, replaced by a feeling of love, and warmth. The kind that only family could provide.

* * *

Sarutobi sat in his office later that night, waiting for certain individuals to arrive. For the umpteenth time, he checked the plans he concocted for any flaws, and for the umpteenth time he found none. His plan was perfect. Nodding, he placed the scroll aside, when there was a knock at the door.

"Enter."

The door swung open to admit the people who would bring his plan to completion. Morino Ibiki, his Head of Interrogation, Mitarashi Anko, Ibiki's protégé, and future successor, and Hatake Kakashi, a man who would most likely become a resident of the local graveyard when Kinome finally got out of hospital, all walked in single file, and stood before his desk.

Sarutobi silently regarded them for a moment before speaking. "I have no wish to waste time with this issue, so I'll be blunt. You three will be in charge of a wide-scale investigation, one made for the express purpose of rooting out all groups in the village who would see harm done to one Uzumaki Naruto; the vessel of the Kyuubi. Anko, Kakashi, I know you are already aware of Naruto's past, and the attempts on his life, but Ibiki, you are in the dark. Here." Sarutobi handed the scared mental expert a thick folder. "That contain all the info about Naruto's past, and a record of all assassination attempts. To bring you up to speed, for the past seven years, my daughter has been raising Naruto inside the old Hittori compound. At some point his whereabouts was discovered, and a few days later a group of ninja penetrated the compound in an attempt to kill Naruto. Fortunately Kinome killed them, but the secret was out, and the damage done. Several vigilante groups have plotted his death, but have had no luck. These groups stay underground for fear of being found out, and arrested. For years Kinome has had the authority to kill any stranger who enters the compound, and has done so. When she became pregnant, she moved back into the Sarutobi compound, but Naruto couldn't follow, so he was left in the care of Kakashi. When Itachi massacred his clan, Kakashi responded to the alarm, but didn't notice the ninja who entered the compound."

Sarutobi's voice became cold. "The ninja beat Naruto to within an inch of his life before Kakashi returned, killed him, and rushed Naruto to the hospital where he received treatment. It was only by sheer luck that this has only happened one time, but it will not happen again."

"I expect that you have a plan?" Ibiki's deep baritone asked, as he flipped through Naruto's thick file.

Sarutobi nodded, and passed the scroll to the three Jounin, who crowded around it. Upon seeing it's contents, their eyebrows rose. It was a good plan.

Sarutobi explained, "You three will lead an operation to find, and neutralise these groups. The operation will be in three parts. Anko will lead a few teams of infiltration specialists, who's primary duty is to find, and gain access to these meeting, gathering as much info as you can. Things like names, times, and plans will be what your looking for." Anko nodded at her role.

He turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, your main job will be leading several strike teams. You will coordinate with Anko to find out the best times to catch as many members of these groups at once, while rounding up any stragglers as quietly as possible. You need to be quick, and quiet. If anyone hears of what you're doing, it could cause the targets to go to ground, making locating them difficult. I'm trusting you with this Hatake. Mess this up, and the repercussions will be most dire." Sarutobi warned. He didn't really want to use Kakashi, but the man was renowned for his sneaky ways, which had better be much better than his body guarding ones.

Finally, he turned to Ibiki. "And you will do what you do best; you will interrogate all the targets Anko, and Kakashi bring in, and feed them any information you can gleam from the prisoners. These are traitors Ibiki, use whatever force necessary." The Hokage said coldly. He would loose no sleep over the hell those who would harm his grandson would go through.

Making sure they all understood their duties, Sarutobi sat them down to discuss strategies, personnel, equipment, and all the other things they would need to rid Konoha of these people.

'_They will never harm you again, Naruto.'_ Sarutobi thought. _'This I promise.'_

* * *

Naruto lay in his hospital bed, trying to get some sleep, but to no avail. He was used to the silence of the compound, where the only thing you heard at night was your own breath, and the irritating buzz of the odd cricket. The hospital though, was like trying to get some sleep during the day, in the centre of a busy town square to him. Constantly, he heard nurses passing the door with trolleys, doctors talking about their patients, or the voice over the speaker telling Dr Whoever to report to ward Whatchamacallit.

To put it bluntly, it was maddening.

Not only that, but Naruto couldn't help but feel a little insecure here. He was out of his element. He was used to is soft, round mattress, not this thick thing the hospitals used. Plus the food was terrible, and he didn't know anyone. The hospital, he decided, was a place he didn't like.

He sighed, pulling the covers over his head. It was funny. It was the first time he had been outside the compound, and yet he couldn't wait to get home. Talk about irony. It seemed his life was full of it lately.

Naruto felt his eyelids grow heavy, and yawned as the sounds of the hospital faded away, drifting into sleep.

* * *

_He ran. Down endless dark corridors, he ran. Something was after him. He knew it. He_ felt_ it. He could hear it's slow steps, always right behind him, no matter how fast he ran. He could feel the thing's arms snatching for him, inches from touching him. He could feel it's hot breath running down the back of his neck, agitating the hairs that stood on end._

_He didn't even know what he was running fro, only that it was evil, and that he did not want it to catch him. Fear boosted his speed in a primal attempt at survival, as a cold feeling of pure dread slowly clawed at his insides, turning his blood to ice. His heart thundered in his chest as the presence closed in, getting closer, and closer._

_His tear filled eyes widened when he heard the sound of metal, scraping on metal, and he pumped his legs even harder, his breath coming in short, wheezy pants._

_An evil laugh echoed through the empty corridors. It moved quicker, closing in fast. Naruto cried out for help, but none came, not before his hunter pounced. Naruto felt it slam into his back, and he screamed for help as he was forced to the ground._

_The thing's shrill laugh sounded in his ears, as Naruto felt something sharp plunge into his back…_

* * *

Naruto's eyes snapped open, and he flung himself up with a scream on his lips, only to freeze in horror, his eyes wide.

Standing at the bottom of his bed, staring at him silently, was the corpse of Wanryoku Tekirui, bloody, and battered, his empty eye glaring menacingly as he raised his kunai high.

Naruto screamed.

* * *

**A/N: Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, creepy! The promised bloodline will be revealed next chapter. Any guesses as to what it'll do?**

**I know the chapter was a little short. Sorry about that.**

**I can't believe how many people thought I was going to kill off Kinome. Seriously, it was surprising.**

**As always, leave your wonderful reviews, and tell me what you think.**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Naruto threw himself out of the bed, a second before the kunai tore into the pillow, scattering feathers all over the place. He landed on the cold floor awkwardly, and painfully, still sore from his injuries.

He looked up to see Tekirui, or what used to be Tekirui, pull his kunai from the remains of the bed, breathing raggedly. He turned to glare at the boy, a crazed look in his eye.

"You!" He rasped, pointing a thick finger at the terrified boy. "You did this to me!" He raged, gesturing wildly to his mangled body. "I died because of you! Demon!"

Naruto shook wildly, still unable to believe that his tormentor had come back from the grave to kill him. "I sorry!" He cried, unable to think of anything else to say. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry isn't good enough!" The walking corpse raged. "You killed me, killed all those innocent people! I'LL KILL YOU!" He lunged for the boy, kunai ready to split his skull in twain.

Suddenly the door was blown off it's hinges, sending splinters flying through the air like wooden senbon. Light flooded into the darkened room, momentarily blinding the two occupants, causing Tekirui to stumble in his attack.

Standing in the doorway, Kurenai could only gape at the scene before her. If she hadn't been so shocked, she'd have been freaking out. She had seen Wanryoku Tekirui's body with her own eyes, and saw the large, fist-sized hole where his heart should have been, proof of the deadliness of the Raikiri. She didn't get much time to think on it, though, before Tekirui lunged at his latest target with a feral snarl. Thinking fast, Kurenai whipped out a kunai, and ducked under the deceased Chuunin's clumsy swing before burying her knife deep into his gut, and pulling it lengthwise, opening his intestines to the world. Tekirui's eyes widened, and a strangled gasp came from him lips…

…before he burst into a cloud of inky black smoke.

'_What!?'_ Kurenai brought her kunai close, ready to defend herself from any attack, as her crimson eyes scanned the room, her ears straining to pick up the slightest hint of movement. After a full minute of silence, Kurenai slowly sheathed her kunai, still alert for any ambush.

A whimper drew her attention, and her head snapped round to see Naruto huddled in the corner, shaking furiously. She rushed over to the distraught blonde, and reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, but he flinched back with a yelp of fear. Deciding to try and calm him, Kurenai spoke with her most gentle, and reassuring tone.

"Naruto?" She asked softly, trying to catch his eye. "Naruto, my name's Kurenai. I'm a friend of your mother. Are you okay?"

No answer, just more heart wrenching sobs. She was about to try another tactic when a commotion out in the corridor drew her attention. Thinking it was another attack, Kurenai drew her kunai, and stepped in front of Naruto, but relaxed when she saw who it was.

Kinome, wrapped in her hastily tied robe, rushed into the hospital room, looking frantic. "Kurenai, what happened? I heard--" It was then she noticed the state of her son. "Naruto!"

Said child looked up, and saw his mother kneeling in front of him. Immediately, he threw himself at her, crying uncontrollably. Kinome wrapped her son in a tight hug, whispering condolences in his ear, and rocking him back, and forth. Naruto's entire frame rocked with sobs as his mother tried to calm him. He didn't want to cry, but he couldn't help it. He knew he needed to be stronger, both physically, and emotionally if he wanted to be a ninja, but it was hard. For nearly an hour Naruto cried in Kinome's arms, in which time Kurenai went to retrieve Sarutobi from his office.

Naruto sat on his ruined bed, Kinome's arm wrapped firmly around his shoulder. He was shivering, but he wasn't cold. For whatever reason, he just wouldn't stop shaking.

"Naruto?" Sarutobi asked gently. "Can you tell us what happened?"

Naruto heaved a shuddering sigh. "I…I don't really know, Jiji. I was sleeping. I was having this really creepy nightmare, too. When I woke up, I just saw him standing there, with his kunai in his hand. I screamed, and threw myself out of the bed, and he missed me. He started ranting, saying that it I k-killed him, and all those people during the Kyuubi attack. He was saying that he was going to kill me too, and that's when that lady with the red eyes broke down the door. He went for her, and she ducked under him. I think she might have pulled a kunai. Suddenly he gasped, and disappeared." Naruto looked up at his grandfather, confusion, and fear in his eyes. "What's going on, Jiji? I thought he was dead."

Sarutobi could only shrug uncomfortably. "I…I really don't understand it, Naruto. From what Kurenai-san tells me, it may have been a **Kage Bunshin**_**, **_but no** Bunshin **I've ever heard of produces black smoke. I've sent someone to check, and Tekirui's body was destroyed hours ago, so it can't have been him."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. That had been one of the scariest experiences of his life. The thought of someone coming back from the dead, just to kill him was just too much to process. But…

His heart sank. Did this mean that someone else was out to get him, and just used Tekirui's image to scare him? Naruto buried his face in his hands, and sighed. This was without a doubt the most stressful week of his life.

Sarutobi patted Naruto comfortingly on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Naruto, we'll get to the bottom of this. I promise."

Naruto smiled weakly. "Thanks, Jiji."

Sarutobi nodded, them became serious once more. "Just so I know, what was your nightmare about?"

Naruto frowned, confused. "Uh…well, I was being chased. I think I was in the compound. Yeah, I was being chased through the corridors of the compound, but no matter how fast I ran, I couldn't get away. Whoever was chasing me caught me, and pushed me to the ground. I heard this creepy laugh, then I think he stabbed me in the back, and I woke up."

"He?" Sarutobi asked. "Who's 'he'?"

Naruto shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I don't know for sure, but I think the person that was chasing me was…Tekirui. It just reminded me so much of…_that_ _night_." Naruto shuddered. "I can't be positive, but I'm pretty sure that Tekirui was chasing me."

Sarutobi 'hmm-ed' in thought. Naruto had been having a nightmare about that night at the compound, then he wakes up, and Tekirui's there trying to kill him. Could this mean…

Sarutobi's eyes widened. Of course! That must have been it! Oh, that fox was one crafty bastard. Of course it would want people to fear Naruto, and by extension it itself. Being attacked by a human must have not sat well with the 'almighty' Bijuu.

"Naruto," Sarutobi began slowly, a contemplative tone in his voice. "I think I may have a clue as to what is going on here, but we'll have to do some tests to make sure. They may take a few day's, but by the end we should know what we're dealing with."

Kinome looked at the old man quizzically. "Father? What are you talking about?"

Sarutobi stroked his beard in thought. "I'll tell you when I know more. For now, Naruto, I want you to get as much rest as you can, and if you have any more nightmares, tell me. I'll post an Anbu at the door, just in case. For now, I should go, and get things prepared." With that, Sarutobi strode out of the room, his robes swishing behind him.

The other two members of his family stared at the door in confusion for a few seconds more, before Naruto looked up at Kinome. "What was that all about?"

Kinome's brow furrowed a little as she pondered her father's strange behaviour. "I'm not sure. Let me go, and check. Will you be okay on your own for a few minutes?"

Naruto paled a little, but gave a brave, if shaky, nod. Kinome smiled, and kissed his forehead, before getting up, and rushing after her father. She caught up to him just as he was getting into the elevator, and grabbed his sleeve to halt his progress. Not giving him a chance to protest, she dragged him into a corner, and rounded on him.

"Okay, what was that all about? What tests, and what is going on with Naruto?" Her voice held that tone that only women could achieve, one that all men knew meant that if satisfactory answers were not given, pointy things would be introduced to sensitive areas.

Sarutobi scratched the back of his neck. Truth be told, he _should _tell Kinome what he thought was going on, he just didn't want to worry her. But knowing her, she would worry even more if she didn't have all the information.

He sighed, and began telling her of his thoughts on what was happening, and of what he planned to do about it.

By the end, Kinome was as white as a ghost. If what her father said was true, then…she didn't want to think what that could mean for Naruto. She prayed her father was wrong. Naruto had already suffered enough. After talking on the matter for a few more moments, Kinome, and Sarutobi parted, each going to their respective duties. Kinome entered the room just as a nurse finished changing the bed, replacing the ruined pillow, and covers. A quiet Naruto sat huddled in one of the chairs, just watching the nurse go about her work.

When the nurse left, Kinome sat on the bed, allowing Naruto to curl up next to her, soaking in her touch. She sang softly to him, like she did when he was little, and watched carefully as his lids began to close. If what her father said was true, then they were in for a long night.

* * *

Sarutobi sat in the dojo of the Uzumaki compound, as Naruto's home had become known as. Before him lay several medical reports, seal guides, bloodline analysis reports, brain wave scans, and a multitude of other reports he had gathered in connection to Naruto's condition. From scrolls of long extinct Bloodlines, to jutsu theory scrolls, Sarutobi had dug through mounds of old work to find some way to help his grandson.

And he thought he may have just found something.

Right now he was just waiting on Kinome, and Naruto. They had returned from the hospital a few days prior, along with an excited Konohamaru.

With the anti-Naruto groups being rounded up, neither Sarutobi, nor Kinome saw any reason not to bring Konohamaru with them. Each day, more, and more people were rounded up by Kakashi's strike teams, and handed over to Ibiki. With liberal application of force, they spilled all their plans for killing Naruto, and gave up many more names. These traitors were then immediately sentenced to a minimum of thirty years in prison, many without a chance of parole. For those few who manage to get out, Sarutobi had issued immediate orders for them to be exiled from Fire Country, with a promise of execution should they return. Then there were a few of the more fanatical leaders who cared not for any prison time, and tried to tell everyone in the village of the 'threat of the demon', without any regard to the secrecy law Sarutobi placed on Naruto's condition. Many of these fanatics 'went missing' en route to prison, with no sign of any bodies. They were assumed dead, and no one batted an eye.

That didn't mean that they were taking chances though. Sarutobi had two of Kakashi's strike teams patrolling the blocks around the compound at all times, not that they were really needed when Kinome had such good friends as she did.

Kurenai, and whenever she could, Anko, would often spend time around the compound, talking with Kinome, playing with Konohamaru, or slowly getting to know Naruto, something that Kinome encouraged greatly. He was still a bit warily of strangers, understandable considering his first experience with one, but he was slowly starting to open up to them more. Especially when they told him stories of his mom when she was younger. His mom's friends were a goldmine of blackmail material.

Hearing the door slide open, Sarutobi looked up to see the very two people he had just been thinking about enter the dojo. Kinome was again wearing her ninja uniform, once more in the condition she was in before her pregnancy started. If you didn't know her, you would have never have guessed that she had a kid. Naruto on the other hand…

The boy looked dreadful. Ever since the night of the fake Tekirui's attack, he hadn't gotten much sleep. Every time he tried, he would wake screaming from horrid nightmares, never getting more that a few minutes of rest at a time. Dark rings had started to form around his eyes, and his face was drawn, and tired. Even his hair seemed to loose some of it's natural spring. He staggered every few steps, his eyes closing of their own violation before he managed to pry them open again, but not being able to focus on anything at all. Coupled with his slouched frame, and dragging feet, his entire being screamed exhaustion.

"Hello, Naruto." Sarutobi greeted gently, as Kinome helped the boy onto one of the sitting mats, wrapping a secure arm around him to prevent him from tipping over.

Naruto could only manage a tired 'hn', straining his already taxed eyes to try, and focus on his grandfather.

Sarutobi looked hard at the folder in his hands as he collected his thoughts before finally looking up at his sleep deprived grandson, and his concerned daughter. "Naruto, I think I may have some answers as to what happened at the hospital. I'm not sure if you are aware, but while you were ill, the Kyuubi did some…_improving_ with your genetic structure."

Naruto blinked slowly as the words made their way through his mind. "Improving?" He asked, his voice a tired rasp.

Sarutobi nodded. "Yes. It seemed that it has had the ability to do this for a long time, and has done so by making your body more resilient, and your senses sharper. It has most likely done this to prolong it's survival for as long as it can."

"What did it do?"

"It seems to have altered your DNA to create what we believe is a new Bloodline. We weren't sure what this Bloodline was at first, but after what happened in the hospital, I believe I have discovered what it does, we just need to run a few more tests to be sure."

Despite his fatigued state, Naruto couldn't help but groan, causing the older two to smile at the glimmer of Naruto's usual self.

Sarutobi patted the boy on the head, ignoring the weak swipe of the blonde's hand. "Now now, Naruto. It wont be so bad. They shouldn't take more than an hour if we're lucky."

Naruto sighed. When his grandfather was sure of a new discovery, he was nearly as stubborn as he himself was. "What do I have to do?"

Sarutobi motioned for them all to stand, something Naruto needed a little help with, and cleared his throat, going into what he called 'teacher mode'. "Now, Naruto, do you know the theory behind performing the **Kage Bunshin** jutsu?"

Unable to see where this was going, Naruto just answered. "Yeah, you perform the hand seal, mould the chakra, them picture in your mind what your clones will look like, and how many you want."

Sarutobi nodded. "Correct. Now, why can't the caster create perfect clones of someone else? Why do they need to have their clones perform **Henge**?"

Without hesitation, Naruto answered, "Because, each person's chakra is different in some way. The **Kage Bunshin **uses the caster's chakra to create a perfect copy of the caster. If a person wants their clone to take on the appearance of another person, the clone needs to use **Henge**, but this has it's drawbacks, because **Henge** is just an illusion; it can't change the shape, height, weight, or any other part of the clone's form."

Sarutobi nodded again, happy to see that Naruto had been paying attention to his studies. "Very good. With this in mid, I think we can see just what this Bloodline of yours can do. Now, come here." Sarutobi led Naruto to the centre of the dojo, while Kinome watched from the sides. When he was sure he had Naruto's complete attention, Sarutobi pressed his palms together, his fingers pointing directly up, as if he were praying. "This, Naruto, is what's known as the Universal hand seal, or sometimes the Infinity seal. This seal is compatible with every type of jutsu there is, and is only used by those who have mastered a chakra element. For instance, my sensei, the Nidaime Hokage, could use this one seal, and create powerful Suiton jutsu from thin air without having to run through the long chain of hand seals the jutsu would normally require. Since we have no clue as to unlock your abilities, we'll need to start from scratch. Now, mould this seal, and see familiarise yourself with the chakra movement."

While Naruto did that, Sarutobi retrieved something from one of the folders before going back to stand in front of Naruto. When Naruto was sure he was familiar with the chakra movement, he looked up at his grandfather.

"Got it, Jiji."

"Good. Now, bearing in mind the theory on how to create **Kage Bunshin**, I want you to use the Universal seal to create this." He handed the boy a photograph. Naruto looked at it for a moment before looking back at Sarutobi incuriously.

"But that's impossible! I mean, I can't make a clone like that!"

Sarutobi place his hands on the boy's shoulders, looking at him seriously. "Naruto, you must. You need to learn how to control your abilities, especially if they work how I think they do."

Naruto sighed in defeat. "Fine!" He grumped petulantly. With mild hesitation, he formed the seal, and began to channel his chakra, just like he did with the **Kage Bunshin**. Sarutobi, and Kinome watched as the boy struggled, focusing with all his might to do as Sarutobi asked.

In the back of his mind, Naruto was grumbling about how this would never work when he felt something. Heart beating faster in excitement, he pushed a little harder when he felt a pulse in his chakra. Suddenly there was a puff of black smoke in front of him, catching his attention. The smoke hung in the air for a moment before dissolving to reveal…

…a skeleton. A fully grown male skeleton to be precise.

Sarutobi smiled in triumph, and went to inspect Naruto's creation, while Kinome looked on in confusion.

"That's it?" She asked, slightly disappointed. "All that trouble, and the fox only gave you the ability to create clones that come equipped with a **Henge**." Seeing Naruto's downcast face, she quickly reiterated. "Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of your achievement Naruto, but I can't see how this will be much help."

Her father's chuckle drew her attention to where he was standing in front of the skeleton, which was regarding him silently. He turned to Kinome, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Don't be so sure, daughter."

"What are you talking about, Fath--WHAT THE HELL!?"

Kinome's jaw hit the floor when her father stuck his hand up under the skeleton's ribcage, and waved it about, completely without resistance. Naruto was as surprised as his mother, not being able to believe his eyes.

Sarutobi smiled at their gob smacked expressions. "Well, Naruto, give it a command."

Naruto looked up at his creation, feeling slightly silly. "Uh…sit down?"

The skeleton immediately complied, and sat silently. Not that it could have made a sound anyway.

Naruto smiled at his success, and had fun ordering his skeleton to do all kinds of things from doing a cartwheel, to dancing a jig. With a very fox-like grin, he even ordered it to give Kinome a kiss, something that she didn't take to very well. Naruto, and Sarutobi shared a good laugh as Kinome was chased around the dojo by the affectionate pile of bones, screaming for Naruto to call the thing off. It was only when she threatened to make him clean out the koi ponds that he finally relented, and had the skeleton stand down.

With that, they moved onto seeing what the skeleton could do by testing it's reflexes, strength, speed, and resilience. After much abusing of their new skinless friend, they discovered that it was roughly as strong as Naruto, but slightly faster as it had far less weight, and resistance.

"I had thought as much." Sarutobi mused. "Kurenai mentioned that the fake Tekirui was far too weak to be a Chuunin."

That had brought up something that Naruto had been wondering about, and he asked that if the fake Tekirui was indeed his creation, then why did it try to kill him? Sarutobi had also been pondering this, and could only answer.

"I think it was because you were unconscious at the time, and you created the fake Tekirui unconsciously while you were having a nightmare of Tekirui trying to kill you. I think that when you created the fake Tekirui, you unconsciously had it act how you would expect him to act."

When the skeleton was destroyed by Kinome in a spar, Naruto vaguely noticed that he didn't gain it's memories, something that Sarutobi jotted down in his notes. With that, Naruto was told to create things of various shapes, and sizes, ranging from a small crow, to a mobile suit of samurai armour. Needless to say that by the end of it, Naruto was near collapse.

After the black smoke cleared, the three settled down at the table covered in Sarutobi's notes, going over what they had learned.

"Well, for starters, the things you created were as strong as you were, give or take. You don't gain their memories when they are destroyed, and they can't use chakra, but we may be able to work on that last one. Whatever form your creations take, they can use the full abilities of that form, such as the birds being able to fly, and the chameleon's ability to blend in to the background. The larger you make your creation, the stronger it is, but the more chakra it requires. So far there haven't been any limitations as to what you create, and I think we should work to find out just what those limitations are." Kinome rounded their observations up. "That's about it. You've been creating rather simple things, but in future I want to experiment with creating inanimate objects."

Sarutobi nodded his agreement, puffing away at his pipe. "That's the same as what I observed. There seems to be no limit to what you can create beyond the amount of chakra you have, and your imagination, although I doubt that even your large amount of chakra would allow you to create something larger than a few meters tall, so I think summon size creations are a very long way off." He turned to Naruto, his expression one of utmost seriousness. "Naruto, I hope you realise how powerful this Bloodline is. We need to work so that you can control it, and so that incidents like what happened at the hospital never repeat themselves."

Naruto gave a slight nod as his body swayed in exhaustion.

Kinome watched her son, deep concern etched onto her elegant features. "Naruto, why don't you get some sleep, you're exhausted--"

Naruto cut her off with a vigorous shake of his head. "No, mom, I don't want to have any more nightmares!" He said franticly, his eyes now wide open.

Kinome turned back to her father, who's expression noticeably darkened. "That's another thing. Why does he keep having the nightmares? They can't by caused by the attack because he hasn't had a dream about that since the night he created the fake Tekirui."

Sarutobi heaved a deep sigh, his worn frame slouching slightly. "I've thought about that as well. It's obvious that these nightmares aren't natural. The only reason I can think of is--"

"Inspiration."

They both turned to Naruto, who was looking at the floor. Kinome tilted her head to the side, her face scrunched cutely in confusion. "What are you talking about, Naruto."

Naruto rolled his neck, trying to work out a kink. "Think about it. The Kyuubi was mad that nobody feared it, so it gives me a Bloodline that allows me to create anything I can imagine. So he uses my own imagination against me, and gives me constant nightmares as a source of 'inspiration'."

Kinome's eyes went wide at the implications. "But you've got to sleep! How can that thing expect you to defend yourself if you're too tired to move?"

Naruto chuckled mirthlessly. "It took care of that long ago. Enhanced genetics, remember? I've got more stamina than normal humans, and my body would be able to deal with the strain."

But, Naruto, you've got to sleep! Father, isn't there any way we can--"

She was cut off again by Naruto's hand over hers. She turned to see him looking at her through the strands of hair that fell across his face, a determined gleam in his cerulean eyes.

"Mom, don't worry. I'm sure the fox did this as a way to spite me, it's revenge for being beaten _by _a human, then sealed into another one. It probably thinks that it'll eventually break me, and that I'll either let it out, or become it's slave."

He used her hand as leverage, and pushed himself to his feet, only swaying very slightly. He stood proudly, looking down at his mother, and grandfather, resolution, and determination radiating off him as a grin made it's way onto his face. "Don't worry. I'll show that furry bastard that it'll never break me, that I can take any punches it throws my way, and that the only way it's getting out of that seal is when the Shinigami comes to devour it's soul."

Kinome, despite her worry, could only smile at her son's strong will. He truly would do her proud.

* * *

The years following those days had seen some changes to the Sarutobi-Uzumaki family.

Konohamaru grew quickly, becoming a proverbial ball of energy that enjoyed running his mother ragged, but still paled in comparison to the hyperactivity his older brother was prone to in his youth. Regardless, he grew up as happy as any child had a right to. He, like Naruto before him, had found friends in the monkey summons, and was often seen with one of the younger furballs in his company. With a lack of a father, Konohamaru's position of role model was filled by Naruto, something that Konohamaru had apparently decided on himself. Kinome thought it eerie that even though the boys weren't related by blood, Konohamaru had nearly the exact same characteristics as Naruto.

One of the larger changes was the other new addition to the house. It had been at some point when Naruto was nine, that his grandfather had come home with a cigarette smoking, bearded stranger who was immediacy tackled in a hug by his mother.

Before she proceeded to beat the living crap out of him.

Naruto quickly ushered young Konohamaru out of the room as his mother began stomping on the stranger's head, firing questions off at amazing speed. It was an hour later when things calmed down that Naruto learned that the mystery man was actually his uncle, Asuma, his mother's older brother who had left the village to join the Twelve Ninja Guardians. When he announced that he was back to stay, Kinome (rather forcefully) offered him a room at the compound. She said that it was lonely there sometimes. He said she just wanted to make sure he didn't take off again. She took away his cigarettes for that. Asuma had connected well with the boys, particularly after it was announced that he was rather adapt at Shougi.

It was Naruto, though, who had changed the most. With his lack of sleep, he had become much more subdued, but far more focused, and mature. While he didn't have the energy to run around like a loon anymore, he had more than enough energy to function as a ninja. With his state of self induced insomnia, he gained a pair of dark rings around his eyes, that, coupled with his whiskers, made him look slightly like a racoon, or a fox. To help him rest somewhat, Sarutobi taught him the art of meditation, something that Naruto was very grateful for.

His abilities with his Bloodline improved by leaps, and bounds. After months of picking, and choosing, Naruto had finally settled on a name for his Bloodline: the Ritsuzen (**A/N: Translated 'The Horror'. It was the best I could come up with that sounded good in Japanese, plus it describes the bloodline aptly.**). Rather poetic Sarutobi thought. He had yet to find something that he could create, within a decent size, usually that of a human, or smaller, but his creations still couldn't use chakra. He also tried once to create food, but that didn't work out. He'd been coughing up black smoke for an hour afterwards. He'd also found that he could indeed create inanimate objects, and control them, a particularly favourite one being creating barbed wire that would shoot out of the ground, and ensnare the enemy. He also discovered a rather disturbing attribute of his abilities. The more someone feared his creation, the more resilient it appeared to become. They'd discovered that fact after he created a large spider during a spar, a creature that both Sarutobi sibling shared an aversion to. The thing nearly destroyed the courtyard before he managed to dispel it.

Probably the biggest change though, was the fact that Naruto was now allowed outside the compound. With all the Naruto-haters either in prison, exiled, or dead, there was no reason to fear him venturing outside, a privilege he took full advantage of. His grandfather had given him a guided tour of the village, pointing out landmarks like the training areas, the Hokage tower, and the Hokage Monument. At the last one, Naruto stopped to stare at the face of the Fourth for nearly five minutes before giving a respectful nod in it's direction, and moving on.

One of the biggest surprises though, was Naruto's declination of the opportunity to join the academy, at least until a later date. His reasoning was that he was still getting use to his Bloodline, and his insomnia, and that he didn't want to risk dosing off in class, and creating some sort of violent creature from his nightmares in the middle of a group of young children. Kinome accepted this grudgingly, but was mollified by Naruto's asking for the coursework to be brought to him at the compound so he didn't fall behind.

Life at the Sarutobi-Uzumaki home went on.

* * *

Naruto regarded the board before him with a tactful eye, playing out many strategies, and counter-strategies in seconds. The battle so far had been long, arduous, and brutal, but he was confident that victory was within his grasp, if he was mindful of his decisions.

Slowly, he reached out a hand to hover over his pieces, drifting back, and forth as he considered his options. Finally, he moved his knight forward, causing his audience to hold their collective breaths as they waited to see if his play would work.

With a deep, rumbling 'hmm' of thought, his opponent raked his eyes over the remaining pieces, discerning as many strategies as he could see. The board was littered with traps that could be very hazardous if not manoeuvred around carefully. With analysing care, he moved his pawn, taking the boy's bishop out of play. His glittering black eyes glanced up at the child, the blonde's face betraying nothing of his inner thoughts or feelings. The brat had his poker face down to a T.

Naruto cared little for the loss of his bishop, having made plans for it many turns ago. One of many contingency plans in fact. His black rimmed blue eyes flicked from piece to piece, plotting out their paths, and what each move could mean when he saw it. An opening. One that would end this game in three turns. Fighting the tugging of the smirk that threatened to break his cool façade, he casually lifted his queen, and moved it forward to flank his opponent's knight.

The blonde's opponent silently appraised his young challenger as he planned his turn. Throughout the match the boy had never once broken his calm-as-a-cucumber mask. Not when his ingenious plans worked to devastating effect, or when a miss-placed piece dealt him a devastating blow, never once did the child let him catch a hint of what was going through his mind. _'The kid would clean house at the casino, I'm sure.'_ He thought wryly. Making up his mind, he place his other knight in a position that would allow him to remove either two of the boy's pawns, or his rook in the next turn.

Naruto's heart beat faster in excitement. His opponent hadn't noticed his plan. With glee, he pretended to analyse the board, so as not to give away the fact that he had a strategy in play. After an appropriate amount of time, he mock hesitantly reached for his knight, and manoeuvred it so that it would block of his opponent's king's escape route next turn when he made his final move. Only one more turn. Just a few more seconds…

"Checkmate."

Naruto's eyes widened. Where had that rook come from!? Frantically, he looked over the board, looking for any escape route, only for his heart to drop as he realised there were none. His king was cornered. He had lost.

He sighed. "It seems you've won, Enma-sama."

The boss summon grinned as the gathered spectators moved up to the two participants, not afraid of interrupting now that the game was over. Kinome smiled, and placed a hand to Naruto's shoulder as her brother, and father inspected the board.

"You did extremely well, hon." She said. "You did far better than I did anyway. I only lasted two hours before the old monkey beat me."

"Is it over?" Young five year old Konohamaru asked. He wasn't sure what was going on, just that his brother was playing a game, and that it was important somehow. He was just glad he brought his action figures. The game had lasted for hours!

Twelve year old Naruto smiled at his brother. He knew it was asking a lot for Konohamaru to sit quietly for hours on end, but he was glad that his brother realised how important the match was. "Yeah, Ko, it's over. Thanks for waiting, I know you must have been bored out of our mind." With a small, slightly resigned smile, Naruto turned back to the summon. "I guess since you beat me, I haven't earned the right to use the summon contract yet, have I?"

Enma smirked, and tilted his head. "Now what makes you think that?"

Blinking in confusion, Naruto answered, "But I thought I had to win a game of Shougi against you to be able to summon the monkeys?"

Enma, and the elder Sarutobi's chuckled. "Kid, I've been playing Shougi since long before your grandfather was born. It would have been a great surprise if you'd managed to beat me the first time we played. The rule was that you had to show a tactile mind, and a grasp of strategy. It also helps me understand what kind of person you are."

Naruto could feel a grin tugging at his lips. "Does this mean…?"

Enma nodded. "By what I've seen so far, you are more than worthy of summoning me, and my people in a fight. By what I can tell, you have a very sharp mind, but won't pose a threat to my warriors with foolhardy strategies, and you fight primarily for your family, and home, something the monkeys can appreciate. I hereby grant you full right of a summoner of the monkeys, and recognise your right to call on our strength. Congratulations, brat."

Naruto's face broke into a radiant grin, a rare occurrence since the awakening of his Bloodline, and the sight of it was enough to make Kinome squeal in delight, and pull him into a bone crushing hug, ignoring the embarrassed blush on his face, or the amused chuckles of the men.

When Naruto was released from his mother's bear hug-like embrace, he spoke to Enma about what kinds of uses the monkeys could provide during a mission, both during combat, and…not during combat. True to his grandfather's words, the monkeys proved to be excellent allies, providing services as scouts, thieves, distractions, and warriors. There were even monkeys that specialised in decoding, tracking, assassination, and even a seal specialist, but he was in high demand, and may not always be available.

After bidding the Monkey King goodbye, and putting a protesting, but tired, Konohamaru to bed, the rest of the family gathered in the sitting room to discuss something they had been discussing for the last few months.

"So," Naruto said, lowering himself into his favourite chair by the fire. "You guys wanted to talk about the academy?"

Kinome nodded, tucking her feet under her where she sat on the couch. "Specifically, when you want to start. It needs to be soon, the final exam is in two months time."

Sarutobi nodded. "Also you need to get to know your future team mates, and comrades. It would help you build a stronger team dynamic than if you meet up on the day of the exam."

"Plus it would help with the 'real' Genin exam, right?" Naruto smirked, remembering Kinome slipping up, and revealing the true meaning behind the test.

Kinome smiled sheepishly at that. "Yeah, but we also want you to try, and make some friends. Even though you can leave the compound now, you never socialise. The only friend you've got is Konohamaru. You should be with kids your own age, have fun, live a little. It's not exactly healthy."

Naruto sighed. Truth be told, his family had been pushing for him to mingle with the kids in the village for a good while now. In the past he'd been able to hide behind his 'my Bloodline could hurt them' excuse, but he wasn't sure it would cut it anymore. "Mom, in case you've forgotten, _I'm_ not exactly healthy. I'm a Jinchuuriki who's been in hiding most of my life, I have a Bloodline that was designed for the express purpose of turning my nightmares into reality, and as a result, I haven't slept once in the last five years. Kids my age would view me as weird, and would be reluctant to talk to me."

Kinome frowned. "So you're going to hide behind your condition for the rest of your life?"

"I'm not hiding, just stating a fact."

His mom shook her head. "No, you're hiding. You could have gone to the academy months ago, but you said you were still unsure that you wouldn't accidentally fall asleep, and trigger your Ritsuzen. There haven't been any accidents in well over a year, Naruto. When are you going to stop hiding?"

Naruto frowned. "I'm not--"

"If your not hiding then you won't object to going to the academy next week, will you?" She smirked.

Naruto sighed, and rubbed his face with his hand before running that same hand through his hair, a nervous tick he'd developed. The truth was, he'd always wanted to go to the academy, but he was terrified he'd fall asleep, and hurt someone. But worst of all, he feared that everyone would shun him, either because their parents warned them to avoid him for fear of the Kyuubi influencing him, or because of his insomnia, and rather disturbing Bloodline. As long as he didn't put himself out there, he couldn't be hurt.

With another sigh, he propped his chin onto his palm, resting his elbow on the armrest. "Fine, I'll go. I may as well get to know my team mates, but if this backfires you have only yourselves to blame."

"Understood." Then a strange grin slowly made it's way onto Kinome's face, one which told all the males that something terrible was coming. "Well, if your going to the academy, then we'll have to get you some new clothes. You don't want to go on missions in your training clothes, do you?"

Ah clothes shopping. A nightmare more terrifying than any other Naruto had experienced.

* * *

So it was exactly one week later when Naruto found himself outside the academy in the company of his grandfather. After wishing him luck, and embarrassing him with the dreaded 'my baby's leaving the nest' type of hug, Kinome stayed at home to keep young Konohamaru company. The youth had been disappointed that he couldn't go too, but Naruto had placated him when he said that if Konohamaru entered the academy at the age he was supposed to, then there was a chance that his big brother could advanced far enough to become his Jounin sensei, something that the boy decided was far better than being his team mate.

Sarutobi smiled as he watched his normally cool, and composed grandson fidget, his hands flattening non-existent wrinkles from his clothes. "Stop fidgeting, Naruto, you look fine. Are you ready?"

Taking a deep composing breath, Naruto nodded, and followed Sarutobi into the building. They walked past the receptionist, and down a hall filled with doors, behind which he could hear the talking, laughing, and shouting of children.

Man, he was nervous. This would mark the first time he would ever meet other kids his age. Sure he had seen some during his wanderings in the village, but never had he talked to any of them. Again he ran a hand over his clothes. They were new ones that his mother had bought him for starting the academy. He didn't mind his sweats, but he had to admit these were cool.

A few minutes later, they found themselves outside this years graduation classroom. Naruto could hear the came ruckus coming from behind the door, and even thought he heard barking.

"Okay, Naruto, I'll go in first, and talk to the sensei's, you stay here until I call you. Okay?" When he got Naruto's nod, he patted the boy's shoulder, and stepped through the door, closing it behind him, and leaving Naruto along in the hall.

The noise was even louder now that he had stepped inside. Since class hadn't officially started yet, the students had chosen to talk (read: shout) to each other. Sarutobi noticed the abnormal number of clan heirs this year, and knew that this generation was going to be one to watch. He chuckled when he saw young Sasuke sitting by the window, staring resolutely ahead, trying to block out the jabbering girls around him.

Fortunately, all of this was stopped once Iruka noticed the Hokage's presence, and had to resort to his infamous **Big Head no jutsu** to end the chaos.

"SHUT UP, AND SIT DOWN!! THE HOKAGE IS HERE!!"

Immediately, every ass in the room found itself in a chair. The students looked a little embarrassed at being shouted at in front of their leader, but Sarutobi just chuckled, and walked up to Iruka.

"They seem…lively, Iruka."

Iruka rubbed his head, embarrassed. "Sorry about them, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi just waved it off. "Don't be. They're young, let them hold onto it for as long as they can."

"We'll try. So what can we do for you, Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi folded his hands into his robes. "Well, I'm here to deliver a new student to you."

"A new student? Who?"

"My grandson, Naruto."

That got a reaction, and the class suddenly broke out in whispers, which Iruka quickly silenced with a glare, although he too was surprised. "Well, why don't you bring him in?"

Sarutobi turned to the closed door. "Naruto!"

The class leaned forward as the door slowly slid open to admit their new classmate.

He was quite a sight.

The new arrival was wearing loose black pants over his black sandals, and over his torso he wore a short-sleeved black Gi, with orange trimming, under which he wore a short-sleeved fishnet shirt. Over this, he wore a deep, black haori which fell to his knees, although the baggy sleeves fell just short of his wrists. Around his neck, he wore an orange scarf with black flames at the end of the tails which barely skimmed the floor as he walked. The scarf covered most of the fishnet clad skin that the Gi didn't cover. They also noticed then he wore no kunai, or shuriken pouches, which was strange. Across his back was a folded black bo-staff with bronze caps at the end.

It was his face that was most unique though. On each of his cheeks were three cute (to the girls at least) whisker like marks, and a mop of shaggy blonde hair fell around his face, with a couple of stands falling across his eyes, partially obscuring them.

Those eyes, many thought, looked tired.

They were of pure cerulean blue, and slanted, like fox eyes, and his lids drooped slightly. Around the eyes was a ring of black, giving the impression of many sleepless nights.

The boy, Naruto, walked up to the Hokage, and the sensei's with an easy stride.

"You called, Jiji?"

His voice sounded like it was somewhere between talking, and sighing.

"Naruto, this is your sensei, Iruka."

"Hello, Naruto." The Chuunin nodded. "If you don't mind, why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"

A little nervous, Naruto turned to the gathered students. "Uh, hi. My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I like my family, training, and dango. I hate people who can't see things for what they are, and who blame those for thing beyond their control, and those who would hurt my family."

Naruto turned to Iruka with a raised brow, silently asking if that was enough. It was.

"Okay, Naruto, why don't you take a seat between Shikamaru, and Chouji?" He pointed the boy to the empty seat between a slightly rotund boy, and a snoozing one. Naruto nodded, and gave a small parting wave to his grandfather as he turned to go to his seat.

As he turned, Iruka's eyes widened.

On the back of the boy's otherwise plain haori jacket, was a white seal. The Shiki Fuujin. He glanced at the Hokage, who gave a miniscule shake of the head.

"Well, I'd better get back to the office. Goodbye, Iruka, Naruto."

With that, the Hokage left, just as Naruto sat between Chouji, and Shikamaru, who greeted him with a nod, and a snore respectively.

After bouncing an eraser off the lazy Nara's head, Iruka turned, and began to write on the board as he talked.

"Alright, class, since the exam is in two months, we'll be revising what we've learned so far. We'll be starting with village history, and move onto…"

In his head, Naruto groaned. These were things he learned years ago, and were now carved into his head. Suddenly those fears of falling asleep came crawling back.

* * *

**A/N: There you go, now you know what the Bloodline does. If it doesn't seem like much now, wait until it's used in a fight, which will be next chapter.**

**Now understand, the Bloodline WILL NOT MAKE NARUTO ALL POWERFUL!! He won't be able to create creatures as tall as the Kyuubi, or as powerful. They will become bigger, and more powerful over time, but not Godlike.**

**I also wonder why many people thought I was going to kill Kinome. It was strange.**

**Also give me an idea of who you'd like Naruto to team up with. I may hold a poll.**

**Anyway, next chapter…Exams, friends, and battles.**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Naruto sat outside the academy, his back resting against a tree as he watched the numerous other kids run around, exchange food, or simply sit, and talk. It was now lunchtime, and they had been released for the hour. So far his day had been normal, if boring. After almost an hour spent revising village history, and then onto the different uses of chakra. When they had returned from the morning break, they then moved onto two straight hours of revising the three standard academy jutsu. He didn't know what was scheduled for after lunch, but he prayed it would be more exciting than what they had been forced to endure so far.

He placed his staff off to one side, his bento box sitting untouched beside him. He lay there, soaking up the sun with his eyes closed, mindful not to let himself drift off. A few seconds later, he heard the telltale sounds of grass being crushed under sandals, and he cracked an eye open to see the two boys from earlier, Shikamaru, and Chouji, standing before him. The lazy teen had his hands in his pockets while his robust friend was munching chips from a bag. They hadn't really spoken much that day, preferring to wither sleep, or eat. It was the Nara who spoke first.

"Mind if we join you?" He asked in his lazy drawl.

Naruto swept a hand out, indicating the space beside him. "By all means."

With nods of thanks, the two sat down at either side of him. Shikamaru immediately fell onto his back, apparently gazing up at the sky, but Chouji offered him the bag of chips. "Want one?"

Slightly surprised, Naruto took one of the proffered chips with a small, "Thanks."

The three boys sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, each content with listening to their own thoughts. Finally, Shikamaru spoke. "If you don't mind me asking, how come you're only starting the academy now? I would have thought the grandson of the Hokage would have been made to spend the entire term here to set an example."

Naruto nodded. "Usually that would have happened, but I had some…medical issues to deal with. Because of this I couldn't come before now, although I did want to. Mostly I've been doing my coursework at home."

"Are you okay now?" Chouji asked, and Naruto smiled. For a complete stranger, Chouji did seem genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine, Chouji-san, thanks for asking."

Chouji just waved his hand dismissively. "Mah, no need for that 'san' stuff, just call me Chouji. Right, Shika?"

Shikamaru gave a grunt that Naruto thought was in agreement.

"So what's it like here at the academy?" Naruto asked as the three started on their lunches. 'Sweet. Uncle Asuma sneaked me some Pocky.'

Chouji shrugged as he bit into his food. "It's alright. It can get boring sometimes, but that's school for you."

Naruto laughed. "I know what you mean. It was a fight just to keep my eyes open, although Iruka-sensei seems alright."

"He's a nice guy, if a little strict. Just don't let him catch you ditching class or falling asleep or your in for it."

Naruto nodded sagely. "Yes, that** Big-Head no jutsu** is a formidable deterrent to any potential rule breaker. I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard him shout this morning. So what are the other folks in the class like?"

Chouji adopted a thoughtful expression as he contemplated the question. "Well, Inuzuka Kiba is alright, if a bit boisterous. Hyuuga Hinata is real shy, and I don't really know her that well so I can't tell you much. Aburame Shino is the same, but he's more reserved than shy. The two girls you saw arguing at morning break were Haruno Sakura, and our old friend Yamanaka Ino. I suppose you could sum them up as…" He trailed off, looking for the right words.

It was Shikamaru who provided them. "Loud, troublesome fan girls."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "Fan girls?"

Shikamaru nodded, although as you can expect it was with the least amount of movement possible. "Yeah. They usually stalk Uchiha Sasuke, trying to get a date. Don't know why they bother though, he's usually cold towards most people. They seem to think it's cool."

"Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto said thoughtfully. His grandfather had told him about the massacre of the clan when he asked about the emergency that his guard left to deal with the night he was attacked, and with some reluctance, Sarutobi told him. Naruto didn't want to imagine what it was like to loose your entire family because of your own brother. "What's he like?"

Chouji took a sip of his drink. "Like Shika said, he's cold towards most people, and he prefers to work, and train alone. Ever since he raised to the highest mark in the class he's been acting like the academy is just a huge waste of time. I can't count the amount of times Iruka-sensei's berated him for it." He frowned.

They were silent as Naruto digested what he's learned. For the most part, the class seemed diverse to say the least. A number of clan heirs all in the one graduating class seemed like a potential dream team situation. Naruto vaguely wondered how his grandfather would handle it. He replaced the lid on his now empty bento box, and sat back with an appreciative sigh, his belly full. With such good food in his system, Naruto knew he needed to do something to keep him occupied less he doze off. He drummed his fingers against his knee for a moment before an idea came to him. "Do either of you two know how to play Shougi?"

Shikamaru cranked an eye open. "Did you say Shougi?"

Chouji chuckled, and shook his head.

* * *

In the constant company of Shikamaru, and Chouji, Naruto's time at the academy flew by. One was rarely seen without the other two, and were often described by an exasperated Iruka as 'the three laziest ninja who ever lived'. No one ever believed Naruto's claims that they were just laid back, while the rest of the class were high maintenance. In the class standings, Naruto was tied first with Sakura in book studies, while only average in his taijutsu. He did however dominate the kenjutsu section of the class, mostly because of his skill with his staff, but also because he was the only one who knew how to use a weapon outside of kunai, and shuriken with any efficiency. He was also ranked near the top in jutsu, although no one knew his **Bunshin** were actually **Kage Bunshin**. He had also never told anyone about the Ritsuzen or used it in a spar. He finally had friends now, he wasn't going to screw that up by letting that little titbit out.

The day of the Genin Exam was rapidly approaching, and while the students spent their time revising, other, more experienced ninja planned their future in a tower just a few blocks away.

* * *

"No."

Kakashi sighed. "But Hokage-sama--"

"No. Not only don't I agree, but Kinome would skin me alive for even considering it." Sarutobi said firmly. They were in his office, trying to make up the newest Genin team potentials. The teams would have to be finalized, and maybe tweaked after the exams as you never knew who would fail, but it always paid to be prepared. They'd been having the same argument for the last ten minutes, and it was getting tiresome. The problem: which team Naruto would be placed with.

"Hokage-sama, please reconsider. Not only would this be the best team for him to be placed with, but it would also allow me to try, and make up for my mistakes in the past while creating a potentially lethal team at the same time." Kakashi pleaded.

"He'd do fine on either of our teams as well, Kakashi." Asuma said somewhat frostily. He'd heard of what happened on the night of the Uchiha massacre, and heard of Kakashi's attitude before it. He was still sceptical of what really happened that night.

"It would throw off the team dynamic, Asuma." Kakashi stated. "If you placed him with Shikamaru, and Ino, or Chouji, and Ino then your information retrieval team is messed up."

Asuma shrugged. "Then place him with Shikamaru, and Chouji. They seem like they'd be a perfect team."

Sarutobi shook his head. "We can't do that Asuma. The law states that there must either be two ninja, and a kuniochi, or two kuniochi, and a ninja on a team as to balance it out. The only exemption was the older Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and _that_ was only because it was wartime, and there weren't enough kuniochi in the class. Also if we put them together with you, we'd create the laziest team in ninja history."

"Hey!" Asuma cried indignantly. "I'm not that lazy, and _he_ is far more lazy than I'll ever be!" He exclaimed, pointing at a sheepish Kakashi.

Kakashi then gestured to Kurenai, who sat there silently. "And with Kurenai's team being a team of trackers, Naruto would be out of his element. Being on my team is the best place for him." He insisted adamantly.

Sarutobi sighed. Kakashi raised some good points, and he was loath to see the reason in them. Kurenai's team would be a perfect tracking unit made up of the heirs of three of Konoha's clans, each of whom boasted some of the finest Hunter-nin in the village. Asuma's team would have been made up of the children of the famous Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and although Iniochi's daughter would need some work, they had the potential to be as great, or greater than their fathers. He also didn't like the idea of Sakura, and Ino being placed with Sasuke under Kakashi. That was just a recipe for disaster. He heaved a great sigh. He was going to hate himself for this, and the smart money was on Kinome using his body to demolish the Hokage Monument when she found out.

"Fine, Kakashi, Naruto will be placed with Sakura, and Sasuke under your command if he graduates."

Asuma looked on in dismay. "Oh, come on, dad!"

Kurenai too looked miffed, and she offered a silent apology to Kinome for not being able to do anything to help.

Kakashi sagged in relief. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi nodded before he pierced Kakashi with his sternest glare, rooting the Jounin to the spot. He was leaking no killing intent, but his tone was no less forceful. "Listen, Kakashi, this is your final chance. If you mess this up, or God forbid let Naruto come to anymore harm than you already have, and I'll have you executed. No exceptions. Understand?"

Kakashi nodded. He'd been expecting this. "I understand, and believe me, Hokage-sama, if something were to happen I'd turn myself over to the Anbu."

Sarutobi could tell that Kakashi meant every word, and his respect for the Copy-nin rose by a small amount. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the three Jounin, and set about completing his daily dose of paperwork. How was he going to explain this to Kinome in a way that allowed him to leave with his precious parts in one piece?

* * *

Naruto walked into the academy alongside Shikamaru, and Chouji, a large vulpine grin on his face. Today was the day; the day of the Genin Exam. Even if he didn't have insomnia, he wasn't sure he'd have gotten any sleep the previous night as he was too excited.

The exam was split up into two sections. The first was the written exams; one on the basics of being a ninja, and a second on ninja theory. The second part was the practical exam where the students showed of their skills in events that their families, and older ninja were allowed to view.

Naruto sat in his usual spot between his friends, and leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs as Shikamaru, and Chouji fell into their favoured positions of eating/sleeping. Deciding to kill time, Naruto turned to Chouji. "What do you think the teams will be?"

The portly Akimichi shrugged. "Don't know, but I hope we're on the same team. What about you?"

Naruto similarly shrugged, swiping a few chips from Chouji's bag. "Same here. I don't really mind who I'm paired with, but I hope it's with you guys. Although I wouldn't mind giving the girls a miss." He added with a wince when Sakura, and Ino started a screaming match across the room over who got to sit next to Sasuke, who was just trying his best to ignore them completely. Chouji chuckled, and quickly stuffed the rest of his chips down his throat when Iruka entered the room.

"Alright you lot, sit down, and be quiet! Now as you already know, today is the day of the final Genin Exam. To earn the rank of Genin, you must complete two written tests, which are being handed out now, then a number of practical tests. During the second part of the exam, your families, the Hokage, and a few other ninja will be watching. Don't let the attention get to you. Just do your best, and you'll be fine. The first written test will last for an hour. Anyone caught cheating will be immediately ejected from the exam. Good luck. Your hour starts…now!"

The sound of shuffling paper filled the room as the students flipped their tests over, and began to write.

* * *

"Where are they?" Konohamaru asked for the umpteenth time in the last five minutes as he craned his head, trying to get a glimpse of his brother.

Kinome smiled. They were sat in the bleachers at the edge of the training field, waiting for the students to come out. Most of the major clan heads were here, including the senior Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Inuzuka Tsume, and her daughter Hana, Aburame Shibi, and even Hyuuga Hiashi had decided to grace them with his presence. They had been waiting for little over a half hour now, and Konohamaru was getting fidgety. She placed a hand on his head to still him, and tilted her head so she could see his face.

"They'll be out soon, Konohamaru, be patient. The graduation exam is very important, and shouldn't be rushed. Wait until you take the exam then you'll know."

Konohamaru grudgingly followed her orders, but that didn't last long as the doors of the academy were flung open, and out walked Iruka, followed by his class. The crowd cheered as their sons, and daughters came into view, shouting encouragement as loud as they could. Some students waved back, others pretending they didn't hear out of embarrassment. Naruto saw Konohamaru jumping up, and down on his seat before the exuberant child was bopped on the head by his mother. The blonde grinned, and waved back.

The crowd quietened as Iruka turned to his charges. "Alright, now we move onto the practical exam. There will be tests on the different skills you need to master before you can become Genin such as throwing a kunai, displaying endurance, balance, etc before we end with the spars. You will receive marks out of ten, with ten being the highest. First up at the kunai range: Akimichi Chouji."

The exams passed fairly quickly. As had become the norm throughout the year, Sasuke dominated the jutsu tests with Sakura scoring highest in the chakra control portions, and Naruto showing his prowess with weapons. As the tests progressed, Naruto realised that he was near the top of the class in points, staying firmly in the top five. It was apparent that Sasuke was going for the Rookie of the Year title, but Naruto didn't care. Even if his taijutsu, and chakra control were up to scratch, he didn't really care for the title. Probably all that 'discretion is a ninja's best friend' stuff he grew up hearing. When Ino finished up with the obstacle course, it was time for the most anticipated event: the spars.

The rules were fairly simple. You were allowed to use any jutsu, or weapon in your arsenal, and the winner was decided either by knockout, forfeit, or Iruka's decision that one of the contestants were unable to continue. There was strictly no killing allowed, and Iruka had the right to call the match if it got too close to the spectators.

"Everyone come here, and pick a number from this box." Iruka called, holding said box in his hand. One by one the students came up, and removed their number. "Check to see who you'll be fighting."

Naruto glanced down at his number. It was number eight. "What one did you get, Shikamaru?"

The lazy genius glanced at his paper. "Number four. I heard Kiba say he got number three so I guess I'll be fighting him. What about you, Chouji?"

"Number one. Who's got number two?" He called out to the crowd, and waited till he saw a raised hand. "Looks like I'll be fighting Shino. Who're you fighting, Naruto?"

"Dunno." Naruto said as he glanced around, trying to see someone without a partner, but as far as he could see, everyone was taken. "Who the hell has number nine?"

"Me." A voice said behind them.

Naruto turned to see the last person he was expecting. "Sasuke? You're my opponent?"

The last Uchiha stood a few feet away, his arms crossed as he stared at the blonde. "Yes, baka. Are you deaf?"

Naruto frowned. He, like most guys in the class, had never really gotten along with Sasuke. It wasn't for lack of trying, but the raven haired teen just brushed everyone off, saying they were either annoying, weak, pathetic, or a mixture of all three. As long as you didn't talk to him, he wouldn't talk to you. The only ones who were exempt from this were his fan girls. He'd ignore them either way, not wanting to encourage them by speaking to them, even if it was a scathing insult. The girls just seemed immune to rejection.

"No, Sasuke, I'm not deaf." Naruto said, a little annoyed.

Sasuke just 'hn-ed', and turned away from the three friends, ignoring them completely now.

Naruto arched a brow at the Uchiha, and turned away as well. Chouji patted his friend on the shoulder. "Tough luck man, getting Sasuke."

Naruto looked at him. "Why?"

Chouji seemed confused. "Well, he's the shoe-in for Rookie of the Year, and he has some of the highest grades in the class, especially in combat."

Naruto just waved off his explanation. "So? I'm not far from him in grades, and while I don't have his taijutsu skills, or his fancy clan jutsu, I do have something he doesn't. Something that will give me a large edge in the fight."

"What?" Chouji asked.

Naruto's smile became a confidant grin. "My staff."

That seemed to be enough to reassure the other two, and so they turned to watch the fights. They were okay, with many of the clan heirs scoring the highest, as was predicted. In her fight against Ami, Hinata showed her skills at the Jyuuken, disabling the other girl quickly. The match between Ino, and Sakura was more of a cat fight, with each girl collapsing in exhaustion at the end, forcing Iruka to call a tie. Despite his savage jutsu, and canine partner, Kiba lost to Shikamaru after the Nara caught him in his **Kage Mane**, and forced him to slam his own head against the wall, knocking him out, and securing a victory. Chouji also put up a good fight, tearing up most of the field with his body expansion jutsu, but Shino's bug latched onto him, and drained him of chakra, winning the match. It wasn't long before Iruka called out the last two fighters.

"Uchiha Sasuke vs. Uzumaki Naruto!"

The two teens walked to the centre of the field to stand beside Iruka as the crowd cheered.

"Kick his butt, Naruto!" Konohamaru yelled, jumping onto his seat. Kinome lightly smacked him on the head, and told him to sit down before he hurt himself.

Naruto, and Sasuke watched each other as Iruka explained the rules for the umpteenth time. When he finished, he asked if they understood, to which they each replied with a nod.

"Okay, Naruto, Sasuke…BEGIN!"

Sasuke moved instantly, launching three shuriken at Naruto before Iruka was even off the field. The blonde nimbly dodged the projectiles, and swung his staff from his back, the two folded ends becoming one whole staff just as Sasuke came in swinging.

Using his prized staff, Naruto blocked the Uchiha's punches, and kicks. Sasuke winced each time his limbs came into contact with the hard steel instead of soft flesh. He brought his leg swinging upwards, aiming for his opponent's head, but Naruto simply ducked under it, tripping Sasuke's other foot with his staff, and sending the boy to the ground.

Sasuke immediately sprang to his feet, a kunai in hand. He made a series of quick slashes, but Naruto stepped back, avoiding them all. When Sasuke lunged at the blonde's stomach, Naruto smacked the back of his hand with one end of his staff, forcing him to relinquish the knife, and using the other end, knocked the still-falling knife through the air, landing out of Sasuke's reach. He ducked under Sasuke's punch, and hopped back, his staff in front of him.

Felling incredibly frustrated, Sasuke decided to call out the big guns, and ran through a chain of hand seals he had become most familiar with over the last year.

Fourtunatly, Naruto had also become familiar with the jutsu sequence, having seen it performed numerous times by the boy over the past year, and quickly substituted himself with a nearby rock just as Sasuke launched the attack.

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!**"

The large fireball scorched the field as it roared towards Naruto, leaving blacked grass in it's wake. Sasuke smirked as Naruto was caught in the flames, but it quickly vanished when the flames cleared to reveal a slightly blacked, and smoking rock in his place.

Sensing movement behind him, he ducked moments before Naruto's staff cut through the air his head occupied a moment before. Not one to miss a chance, Sasuke spun on his heel, driving an elbow into the boy's gut, forcibly emptying his lungs.

Naruto staggered back, clutching his stomach, and coughing as he tried to draw a breath. Panting, he glared at Sasuke, and hefted his staff, ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice. The two teens watched each other warily, examining each other, and wary of the slightest movement.

Suddenly, Sasuke pulled a kunai, and launched it at Naruto. The blonde smirked, and readjusted his grip on his staff, and swung it like a baseball bat as soon as the knife came within range, sending it back to it's owner.

Sasuke ducked as the knife went sailing over his head, and glanced over his shoulder to see it lodge in a tree on the opposite end of the field, quivering slightly in the wood.

"Steeeeeeerike one!"

Sasuke cursed, and spun back towards Naruto, only to receive the end of the boy's staff to the gut.

"Steeeeeeerike two!"

Naruto spun on his heel, and slammed the staff onto the doubled over avenger's back, driving him to one knee.

"Steeeeeeerike three!"

Naruto spun low, catching the back of Sasuke's legs, and tripped the boy onto his back, winded. Using his momentum, Naruto spun, and jumped into the air in one graceful movement, twirling his staff in his hand.

"You're out!"

With all his strength, Naruto swung his staff downwards, the metal pole cutting through the air with a _twoo_-ing sound. The brass capped end smashed into the Uchiha's stomach, almost doubling him over on his back, a large gob of blood flying from his mouth.

Naruto stepped back from the boy, and watched him cautiously. Sasuke lay curled into a ball, clutching his stomach as he coughed violently. Naruto grimaced when Sasuke vomited, coughs still wracking his frame. Slightly concerned, he turned to Iruka, who was looking at Sasuke in worry. "Uh, Iruka-sensei? Maybe you should call the match, and get him a medic. I think I may have put too much strength behind that last attack."

Iruka nodded. "I think so too. I hope he's--NARUTO, LOOK OUT!"

Naruto spun to find an enraged Uchiha's face inches from his own, the boy's vomit scented breath washing over him through gritted teeth. With a snarl, Sasuke knocked a surprised Naruto's staff from his hands while driving a fist into the whisker marked boy's stomach. Naruto doubled over Sasuke's arm, one eye closed in pain as he coughed, and tried to keep his own lunch down.

Sasuke drew back his arm, and smashed it into the side of Naruto's head. He hit the ground with a thud, blinking to try, and rid his vision of spots. He clutched his head as he shakily got to one knee, but didn't stay up for long before Sasuke's sandal-clad foot smashed into his face, sending him onto his back. Acting on instinct, Naruto quickly rolled away, narrowly avoiding Sasuke's fist which smashed into the ground where his head had been.

In one fluid movement, Naruto turned mid-roll, and got to his feet in a crouched position, one hand braced against the ground keeping him up as he panted. He was in a bad position. He sucked at taijutsu, and there was a pissed off Uchiha Sasuke standing between him, and his staff. Coupled with the fact that he didn't carry any kunai or shuriken pouches on his body made his predicament all the more worse. _'All because I wanted to keep my load light, and thought I could just make any weapons I need using the Ritsuzen. How I thought I could do that without any of my classmates finding out I'll never know.'_ Naruto thought angrily, annoyed at his own lack of preparation.

'_Think! What are my strengths over him? I'm faster, and more agile which means as long as I stay out of his reach I'll be fine. My enhanced genetics mean I'll be able to take more damage than him, recover quicker, and my reflexes will help me avoid his attacks.' _Naruto thought, never taking his eyes off the angry Uchiha who was currently catching his breath while glaring at him. _'Okay, so barring the Ritsuzen, my best chances are with __**Kage Bunshin**__. I could have them rush him, and get my staff back in the confusion. Only problem with that being my clones are as bad at taijutsu as I am, and would probably get killed quickly.' _Suddenly an idea sprung to mind, causing his eyes to widen.

Getting to his feet properly, Naruto brought his hands up into the cross seal, and five bursts of smoke later, and five new Naruto's stood with the original.

Sasuke scoffed. "Is that your answer, baka? Clones? They're nothing more than illusions, they can't do anything to me."

Naruto shook his head slightly. "These aren't normal clones, Sasuke, as you'll soon find out. GO!"

The squad of copies surged forward, three going directly for Sasuke while the other two tried to flank him. Sasuke just watched the clones charge, not understanding how these illusions were supposed to hurt him. That was when he saw their shadows. _'Wait, clones don't have shadows. Did he somehow manage to create solid copies?'_ Not willing to risk it, Sasuke fell into a stance as the three Narutos closed in, ready for any attack. When the first clone swung, Sasuke threw up his arm to block, and was still slightly surprised when his arm met solid flesh. Quickly, he punched the clone in the face before backhanding the second, and delivering a spin kick to the third. They each grunted before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

Sasuke hadn't forgotten about the last two, and turned towards them as they ran, seemingly trying to get behind him. He withdrew two shuriken from his pouch, and launched them at the clones.

He missed however when they leapt into the air, over the weapons. One clone seemed to focus on something behind him, and made a seal before vanishing in a cloud of smoke. Sasuke's eyes widened when the smoke cleared to reveal a black, and bronze staff. The blonde's clone had substituted itself with his staff. Seeing what was about to happen, Sasuke hurriedly threw a kunai at the second clone, hoping to prevent the boy getting his weapon back.

It was in vain though when the clone grabbed the staff out of the air, and threw it like a javelin towards it's creator a split second before the kunai lodged in it's chest, destroying it. Sasuke drew another kunai, and was about to take another shot when he heard the pounding of feet behind him. His eyes widened. _'The first clone!'_

He spun on his heel, and drove the knife between the clone's eyes, who had a fist raised in preparation to attack. Sasuke turned back towards the original before the clone even burst into smoke, only for his stomach to drop slightly when he saw Naruto with his staff held securely in his hands. It was clear he didn't intend to loose it again.

Panting slightly, Sasuke looked at Naruto. "So, how did you create real clones? That's not something they teach in the academy."

Naruto gave a modest shrug. "How did you learn **Goukakyuu no jutsu**?"

Sasuke's eyes drifted over to the Hokage, who watched the match with interest. "Through your family." It was more of a statement than a question.

Naruto nodded.

Sasuke's eyes drifted over to the spectator stands where he saw a woman with short brown hair wearing a crimson scarf like Naruto's sitting next to a small child who was cheering Naruto on. Seeing a potential opening, Sasuke inwardly smirked. "I'm guessing that the woman in the red scarf is you mother?"

Naruto nodded again, immediately on guard.

Sasuke didn't move though, keeping his eyes directed towards the other members of the Sarutobi household. His voice dropped so that only he, and Naruto could hear what was said. "So that must be your little brother. Hm, judging by how he's jumping around, and yelling like a howler monkey, he'd make a terrible ninja."

Naruto's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Watch what you say, Sasuke. That's my little brother you're talking about."

Sasuke shrugged. "I'm just making an observation. Seriously, if that's how he acts, I don't expect he'll last long during his first mission."

Naruto's growled. "Sasuke, I'm warning you."

Sasuke snorted, apparently not hearing Naruto. "Hell, if he's as bad as he looks, he'll probably end up getting his entire team killed because of his own incompetence. The village would probably be better off in the long run if he suffered some kind of tragic _accident_."

Naruto slammed the end of his staff into the ground, his face a mask of fury. His fist was clenched so tightly that his nails pierced his flesh, causing small trickles of blood to run between his fingers. His entire frame was shaking with anger, but when he spoke it was deathly quiet. "Say whatever you want about me, Uchiha, but don't you dare threaten my little brother again. If you do, I guarantee you won't leave this field alive."

Sasuke felt an inner surge of victory. Not only had he managed to shake his opponent's hold on his emotions, but he managed to do it to the 'calm, and serene' Uzumaki Naruto, a boy famed for his composure. "Empty threat. You don't have the skills to take me down."

Naruto brought his staff up, pointing it at Sasuke. A direct challenge. "Just try me."

Sasuke smirked at the blonde, and crouched slightly in preparation for a charge.

Naruto gripped his staff at his side, his stance rigid.

For a moment the two just stared at each other. Then, at some unspoken signal, both launched forward, meeting at the centre of the field in a flurry of punches, kicks, twirls, and sweeps.

Watching from the sidelines, Iruka winced as we watched the scene, his class silent for once as they watched two of the best fighters in the class duke it out. _'Naruto certainly isn't pulling any punches, he deliberately aiming for spots that would seriously injure Sasuke if they connected. Just what did Sasuke say to make him this angry?'_

Naruto was a blur of motion, his staff twirling wildly as he attacked. Any of Sasuke's punches, or kicks were roughly knocked aside with the solid staff, causing the Uchiha to wince. Sasuke sidestepped a strike, and ducked the following attack, when he saw that the blonde's stance left his side wide open. Quickly, he drew a kunai, and lunged forward, plunging the blade into Naruto's side, through his kidney. The crowd gasped as Naruto's eyes widened, his eyes on the knife embedded in his side. Sasuke face took on a triumphant look.

Only for it to be replaced with one of shock when Naruto vanished in a burst of smoke.

So great was his shock, that he didn't even see the staff descending through the smoke before it connected savagely with his still extended wrist, breaking it with a sickening crack. Before he could even scream out in pain, Sasuke was sent onto his back when Naruto brought the other end of his staff crashing up into his jaw, nearly breaking that as well.

With a growl, Naruto hefted his staff above his head with both hands, ready to finish this match once, and for all. He swung the staff downwards, only to stumble in confusion when it's momentum was suddenly stopped. Blinking in confusion, Naruto looked up to see Iruka standing over him, one hand grasping the top of his staff tightly.

The scarred Chuunin smiled. "That's enough, Naruto, you've won. WINNER: UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

The crowd cheered loudly, clapping their hands at the exemplary match. Konohamaru cheered for his brother while Kinome placed one hand over her racing heart. She had been so caught up in the fight that she didn't even notice Naruto make a clone until it was dispelled. That boy would be the death of her.

Sarutobi watched the two students with a furrowed brow, chewing on the end of his pipe. If Naruto showed that much brutality in a spar against Sasuke, how would he react to being put on a team with the Uchiha? He only hoped things would work out, for all their sakes.

Naruto dropped his arms to his side as Iruka helped a dazed and bruised Sasuke towards the infirmary, directing the students towards the classroom. Naruto sluggishly walked over to Shikamaru, and Chouji, leaning heavily on his staff for support. Now that the fight was over, the adrenalin was leaving his system, leaving him sore, shaky, and tired; a very bad condition for someone who could create living nightmares if he fell asleep.

Chouji placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "That was a hell of a match, man. You okay?"

Naruto just nodded, to tired to respond. Shikamaru, and Chouji, being the only two students in the class who he had told of his insomnia, but not the reason behind it, took his arms, and helped the Jinchuuriki into the academy. They could now only wait to see if they were Genin or not.

* * *

Naruto sat on a couch in the living room of the compound later that night, a little battered, but beaming. On the front of the collar around his neck, he had sewn his brand new hitai-ate, just like his mother. He, like Chouji, and Shikamaru, had passed the exam, along with most of the other clan heirs. They were to return to the academy on Monday to receive their team assignments.

Currently there was a small celebration going on. His family, along with Kurenai, and Anko had decided to throw a party to congratulate him on becoming a Genin, and now Naruto sat listening to Konohamaru as he described the battle in great detail.

Apparently the young Sarutobi forgot that Naruto had been there as well.

So as his little brother told his story (Which included a lot of 'you were like'-s, and 'and then'-s), Naruto allowed himself to relax, the aches in his muscles slowly disappearing. With a small smile on his face, Naruto drank deeply from his cup, feeling immensely refreshed. He wondered what Monday would bring.

* * *

**A/N: There you go, the academy days, and exam. Next will be the 'real' Genin exam.**

**A few things that have been brought up in reviews concerning Naruto's strength. This is concerning what happened when Kinome was training him.**

**Naruto getting launched into the air when he unlocked his chakra:**

**Okay, he didn't just channel chakra to his feet, and fly into the air. His chakra points were blocked, like all children, and he needed to unblock them to channel chakra. When he was told to channel chakra to his feet, the chakra couldn't escape, and so he kept pushing more, and more chakra into his feet to unblock the chakra points. When they finally did unblock, he had so much chakra built up in his feet that when his chakra points were unblocked, the chakra shot out through his feet, launching him into the air. Thin of this: when you shake a bottle of coke, the pressure builds up, and when you open the bottle all the cola comes shooting out.**

**Naruto breaking Kinome's staff during training:**

**They weren't using their metal staffs. Naruto didn't even have one at this point. They were training with simple WOODEN training staffs, like the handle of a mop. Kid Naruto is no where near as strong enough to break a metal staff, even Genin Naruto can't do it. These staffs will stand up to a hell of a lot of punishment before they break, believe me.**

**I hope this clears up any confusion.**

**So, review, and tell me what you think. Go on. Go on! *Points Tora the cat threateningly towards readers* F***ING DO IT!**


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Naruto sat in the class that Monday, his eyes closed as he leaned back in his chair. To either side of him, Shikamaru, and Chouji discussed the team assignments, and what the possible set-ups would be. He wasn't concerned, it was common knowledge that most people expected the three friends to be assigned to the one squad. It would make sense; their teamwork would be great, they already trusted each other completely, and their knowledge of each other's others styles could work in a fight.

He heard the door slide open, and the entire class quieten. Confused as to what could shut a group of teenagers up, Naruto cracked an eye open, only for it to narrow slightly when he saw who was coming into the class.

Bruised, and with his hand wrapped in a bandage, Uchiha Sasuke walked into the class, a scowl on his face. The class watched him walk into the room, limping slightly. He still had some nasty bruises, especially the large, purple one on his jaw. He made for his seat, but stopped when he noticed one particular person watching him. Sasuke's jaw clenched, sending stabs of pain through his face. The blonde bastard was just staring at him, but what really galled Sasuke was the fact that not only did Naruto win, he didn't even look like he had been in a fight. There were no bruises on him, not even where he kicked him in the face.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto just closed his eye, falling back into his resting pose. "Nothing, Sasuke. Nothing at all."

The Uchiha growled. "Bet you think you're something special, don't you? Just because you won that spar out of sheer luck."

When Naruto didn't react to the barb, Sasuke snorted, and limped towards his seat, where he was immediately set upon by concerned fan girls offering to look after him.

Chouji leaned close to Naruto. "Man, he's pissed. So were you, if I recall. What did he say to make you that angry?"

Naruto just shrugged. "He threatened something he shouldn't have been threatening."

Chouji shook his head at his friend's non-answer. They all had their quirks; he ate a lot, Shikamaru was lazy, Sasuke was a loner, and Naruto was very private. It didn't really matter to him, he just hoped his buddy's secretiveness didn't blow up in his face one day.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the door opening, and looked up to see Iruka stroll into the room, a clipboard in hand. The tanned Chuunin walked up to his desk, and stood in front of it, looking at the latest batch of Genin, their hitai-ates gleaming.

"Alright, everyone listen up because I don't want to have to repeat myself. I've got here your team placements. After these are given out, you will wait here until your Jounin senseis arrive to collect you. Understood? Okay, Shino, Hinata, and Kiba, you're on a tracking team under Yuuhi Kurenai. The designation is Team 8."

He paused to make sure they heard before continuing. "Team 10 will be an information retrieval team under Sarutobi Asuma. The members will be Shikamaru, Chouji…"

Naruto, Chouji, and to a smaller extent, Shikamaru leaned forward in anticipation. This had to be their team.

"…and Ino." Iruka finished, somewhat surprised.

"WHAT!?" Two loud voices exclaimed. Ino, and Naruto had flew up out of their chairs, and were now looking at Iruka in utter shock.

"What do you mean I'm on their team!?" Ino shouted, pointing to the two stunned friends sitting at either side of Naruto.

"What do you mean I'm _not_ on their team!?" Naruto all but bellowed, surprising most of the class. That had been the loudest they had ever heard him. Although it was understandable given the circumstances.

Iruka shrugged, still looking at the paper a little confused. He too had expected Shikamaru, Naruto, and Chouji to be paired up. They had shown a lot of promise, and good teamwork during their relatively short term as friends. "I guess the Hokage wanted to try, and recreate the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. It was a powerful combination in it's time, and I guess Hokage-sama didn't want to pass up the chance of a second generation.

Naruto couldn't believe his ears. His own grandfather had made the teams up? His fists clenched. The old man had _known _how much he wanted to be placed on a team with his friends. His _first ever _friends. Sure, he didn't really have the skills for information retrieval, but he could either learn or he could just be the muscle. _'Wait a minute. If I'm not on their team or Team 8, then the only other two Genin are…' _His eyes widened. _'Oh dear God no…'_

"And on a rapid response team, Team 7 under Hatake Kakashi, will be Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto."

Naruto flopped back into his chair, shock completely taking over his system. Not only was he on a different team than his best friends, he was on a team with a girl he had barely spoken to, and a boy who's wrist he'd broken during a vicious spar not three days before. He didn't even hear Sakura's squeals of joy at being paired with Sasuke or Iruka's parting words before he left the class, closing the door behind him.

Shikamaru looked at the blonde. "Yo, Naruto, you okay?"

This seemed to jerk the boy out of his trance. "Y-Yeah, Shika, I'm fine. It's just…how can I be paired with _them_!?" He asked incuriously, looking over his shoulder at the gloating, pink haired girl, and the stoic Uchiha, who had his eyes narrowed in apparent thought. "I mean no offence to them, but how can Jiji think we'd make a better team than the one you two, and I would have made?"

Chouji shrugged. "I don't know, but he must have had a good reason for it. Right?" He asked, uncertainly.

Naruto shook his head. "I don't know, Chouji, but the second I find that old man, I'm going to take that hat, and--"

His threats of manslaughter were interrupted by the sound of the door opening once again to admit two of the Jounin instructors. It was Kurenai, and Asuma.

"I'm here to collect Team 8" Kurenai called to the class.

"Team 10 with me." Asuma said around his cigarette.

Said teams got up from their chairs, and made their way towards the two Jounin, Shikamaru, and Chouji giving Naruto comforting pats on the shoulder as they passed him. Once the two teams filed out, and the door closed, the tree remaining Genin were left in a semi-tense atmosphere, most generated by Naruto, and Sasuke. Apparently Sakura felt none of this, and proceeded to pester Sasuke, asking everything from how glad he was that they were on the same team, to if he'd like to get some lunch with her. All of these were answered with a 'no', even the ones that weren't questions. Naruto tuned this out, choosing instead to meditate to pass the time, and to think on any possible reasons Jiji had thought they'd be a good team.

Thank God he had near endless patience because it was exactly two hours later when the door once again slid open, and a grey topped, masked head popped into the room.

Kakashi looked at his three new charges, his gaze lingering on Naruto for a split second before his eye curved in a slightly irritating translation of a smile. "My first impression of you three is…you have potential. Meet me on the roof." That said, he vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving three grumbling Genin to clamber out of their seats, and walk up the stairs of the academy, onto the roof where their sensei awaited them.

When they were comfortably seated, Kakashi began. "Well, now that we're all here, let's get started. Why don't you each say something about yourself?"

Sakura was the one to raise her hand. "Um, sensei? Why don't you go first, and show us how it's done?"

Kakashi raised a surprised eyebrow, but shrugged. "My name's Hatake Kakashi. I like a few things…dislike other things…my dream…I have hobbies." He pointed to Sakura. "Your turn, Pinky."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched dangerously at the name, and the utter lack of information. "My name is Haruno Sakura. I like…" She glanced at Sasuke. "My hobbies are…" She glanced at Sasuke yet again. "My dream is to…" This time she added a squeal to the glance which caused the hairs on the back of the guy's necks to stand on end. "I dislike Ino-Pig!" She added heatedly.

'_Ooookay then.' _Kakashi thought before turning to the blonde on his right. "Now you, Whiskers."

Naruto ignored the name. "My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I like my family, training, and my friends. I dislike those who can't see things for what they are, and who would hurt my family or friends. My hobbies include reading, gardening, eating dango, and hanging out with my friends. My dream is to just live my life, and make sure my loved ones are safe."

'_Hm, he's remarkably well adjusted given what he's gone through.'_ Kakashi observed. He then turned to the final member of the group. "Your go, Sunshine."

Sasuke levelled a glare at Kakashi, which the Jounin completely ignored. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I have no likes, dislikes or hobbies. My dream…no, my _ambition _is to revive my clan, and kill a certain man."

That got mixed reactions. Both Kakashi, and Naruto raised eyebrows at Sasuke's _ambition_, but Sakura looked at him, totally star struck (Although Naruto doubted she heard much after 'revive my clan').

Kakashi was the one to break the semi-tense silence that had fallen. "And on _that_ cheerful note, I feel I should tell you…you're not Genin yet."

As predicted, the Genin yelled out in protest, although, unknown to the others, Naruto was faking. _'Give nothing away.'_ He thought slyly, remembering his numerous lessons on ninja deception.

Kakashi waited until they quietened down. "Sorry, but it's true. You aren't ninja _yet_, but that doesn't mean that you can't become ninja. You'll have to earn your hitai-ates. To do this, you'll have to complete a little survival exercise."

Sasuke scowled. "Survival exercise? I thought we were done with them."

Kakashi waved a finger at the young Uchiha. "Nope. Now usually this test is usually issued within a day of the 'official' Genin exam, so it's up to you. Do you want to take the test today, or wait until tomorrow?"

"Today." Sasuke immediately said.

Sakura glanced at Naruto, who gave a half shrug, and they both looked at their new sensei. "Today."

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Great! Meet me at training ground seven in five minutes." With that, the lanky Jounin poof-ed out of sight in a burst of smoke.

Sasuke got to his feet, and took off across the rooftops with not so much as a word to either of his team mates. Naruto walked up to the edge of the roof, one leg on the railing, and looked back at his pink haired team mate. "Let's go, Sakura."

With a nod, she took off after him across the tops of the buildings, Naruto slowing his pace to allow the young kuniochi to keep up. Hopping from roof to roof, it only took them a few minutes of running before they saw the training field, the sunlight glinting off the memorial stone. Naruto landed soundlessly in the clearing, Sakura a moment behind him. They saw Sasuke leaning against one of the large training posts, his arms folded with Kakashi a few feet away, waiting with his hands in his pockets.

"Now that we're all here let's go over the rules." Kakashi said as his two students made their way over. He reached into his pouch, and withdrew two bells connected by a string, the small balls giving a jungle as they moved. "These are your target. You may use whatever means necessary to get these bells from me within a time limit of two hours. If you don't get the bells, you fail."

"Um, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, raising her hand slightly. "Why are there only two bells? There are three of us."

Kakashi smiled at the girl. "Good observation. There are only two bells because only two of you will actually make Genin."

The three teens' collective jaws dropped, their eyes darting between the bells, their sensei, and each other.

'_Pitting us against each other early in the game. Very sneaky, Kakashi-sensei.'_ Naruto thought with a small, inner smile.

Kakashi secured the bells to his side before placing an alarm clock on the memorial, it's timer set to two hours. "Remember, two hours is the maximum. If you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you _will _fail. Hold nothing back. Ready?"

Sasuke pushed away from the post, his hands fisted at his side as he focused all his attention on his sensei. He needed those bells, and he would get those bells.

"Set."

Sakura looked nervous as she tensed, ready for the start signal. She really wanted a bell, not only because she'd be on the same team as Sasuke, but because becoming a ninja was her dream. She'd just have to try her best.

Kakashi's eye roved over his students, taking in their postures. Sasuke seemed confidant, and determined to get the bells. Sakura, while nervous, also showed a will to do what she could to secure her future as a Genin. His eyebrow quirked when he looked at Naruto. The boy stood in an easy stance, ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice, but what really caught the older ninja's attention was the small gleam in the blonde's eyes. It was almost as if he knew something he shouldn't.

"Go!"

Sasuke flew into action, aiming a kick at the Jounin's head, which was easily ducked. Following through with the momentum, Sasuke launched his forearm round, but it was caught in the scarecrow's grip. Kakashi tugged on the limb, forcing the Uchiha to the ground, and keeping him there with a knee to the small of his back.

"Nice try, Sasuke, but next time put a little more thought into it." Kakashi chastised. He leaned back to avoid the staff that went _swoosh_-ing past his face, and leapt away from his raven haired student as Naruto came at him, his staff spinning dangerously.

Naruto jumped over a kick to his legs, and tried to bring his staff down on the Jounin's shoulder blade, only for his strike to be dodged. He swung again, this time at Kakashi's shin, but it was nimbly hopped over.

"You're pretty good with that staff, Naruto." Kakashi complimented as he dodged another blow.

"Well I've been trained by the two best bo-staff users in the county so I picked up a few things." The blonde explained as he blocked a punch.

"Your skills are impressive." Kakashi noted. "But would you like to know a secret?"

"You're secretly into yaoi?" Naruto guessed.

Kakashi balked, and stumbled. "NO!" He winced when Naruto managed to get past his guard, and jab at his side.

Naruto snickered. "Sorry. You were saying?"

Kakashi lightly glared at the boy as they continued to trade blows. "Well I just wanted to let you know that there is no way any of you will get a bell fighting me as you are now."

"Oh, you know that for a fact do you?"

"Yep." He brought up a kunai, and found himself locked in a deadlock with the young Genin. He leaned close so that no one could hear their conversation. "Although I'm sure you'd pass if you were to use your little ace in the hole."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto grunted as he pushed against the Jounin. Kakashi didn't budge.

He looked slyly at the whiskered boy. "Ritsuzen."

Naruto paled. He had never told anyone outside of his family about that. "How do you know about that?" He growled.

"The Hokage told me. He thought that as your Jounin instructor I should know all about your abilities. He told me about Sasuke, and Sakura's skills as well. What I want to know is, why haven't you told anyone about it? They'll find out sooner or later, don't you think it would be better if you told them because you wanted to, instead of finding out by accident?"

"No." Naruto said stubbornly as he tried to break the lock, but Kakashi wouldn't let him.

"Your Bloodline is powerful Naruto, and has a great deal of potential." Kakashi said. "To be the best team you can, they need to know. So do your other comrades for that matter."

"I can't tell them." Naruto almost whispered.

A gleam came to Kakashi's eye. "Then let me help you."

Naruto was confused until Kakashi pushed the staff away, and kicked him in the chest, driving the air from his lungs, and launching him back to where Sakura stood alone. He grunted, and pushed himself off the ground when he heard Kakashi's voice.

"You know, I don't really think this is fair, Naruto." He said conversationally. In his hand was Naruto's staff which he twirled. "I mean, you have a weapon while the rest of us have to stick with kunai, and our fists. I think that to make this a fair test, I'll just hold onto this for now." He slung the staff across his back.

Naruto's fist clenched. _'He's forcing me to use the Ritsuzen. He knows I'm no good without my staff, that's why he's doing this.'_

He didn't get to think much on before a barrage of shuriken flew from the trees to Kakashi's right. The bladed projectiles caught the Jounin in the side, and a surprised look came to his face moments before he vanished, a log replacing him. Naruto heard the sound of fighting in another clearing, and guessed Sasuke had a backup plan.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" Sakura asked as he dusted himself off.

"I'm fine, Sakura." He assured her. He went quiet as his mind came up with ways for him to get his staff back, each off which was discarded because of some flaw.

The silence didn't last long.

Sakura sighed. "This is hopeless. How are we going to get a bell from Kakashi-sensei? He's a Jounin for crying out loud!"

Naruto said nothing, but seemed to regard her as she nibbled on her lip, eyes cast to the ground. Thoughts flitted through his mind.

'_How can we pass? Without my staff I can't fight much, and I've not got much in the way of jutsu besides the Ritsuzen.' _He sighed. _'How can I use it without them seeing? I have a feeling Kakashi-sensei won't allow me to get near the bells, and the only other tool at my disposal is the Ritsuzen.'_ He glanced over at Sakura who was looking towards the direction of Kakashi, and Sasuke's fight, worry marring her features, and reluctantly gave in.

"Sakura."

"Huh?" She turned back to the blonde. "Yes, Naruto?"

Rubbing a hand over his tired face, Naruto said, "I have a way to pass the test, but first you need to realise something. The test is only to evaluate you team working skills. It doesn't matter how good you are, you won't pass if you can't work together."

Sakura was shocked. "W-What!? But Kakashi-sensei said--"

Naruto nodded. "I know, but the point stands. You will not pass if you can't work as a team. I think I can distract Kakashi-sensei long enough for either you or Sasuke to sneak up behind him, and grab one. The biggest problem is convincing Sasuke to give up his one man crusade, and work with us."

Sakura looked thoughtful before her face became one of determination. "Tell me what to do."

* * *

Sasuke let loose with another barrage of shuriken as he backed away from the grey haired man, his teeth gritted in irritation as the Jounin casually dodged them all. Growling, he whipped some mono-wire from his pouch, and shook it out. He drew his arm, and the wire attached to it back in preparation for a toss when a sudden tug caused him to tumble back into the bushes where a strong hand clasped tightly over his mouth.

Startled, he turned to see Naruto behind him, with Sakura directly behind. Shoving off the blonde's hold, he turned, and snarled, "What the hell are you doing, you loser!? What the hell do you think you're doing getting involved in my fight?"

Naruto fixed Sasuke with a level stare. "First off, this is _our_ fight, not _your_ fight. Secondly, I have a plan to get the bells in a manner that will allow us all to pass."

Sasuke scoffed. "What are you talking about? Only two of us will get the bells, and pass, Kakashi said so himself."

Naruto shook his head. "Think about it. How many two person teams have you ever seen? The test was designed to test our teamwork. No matter how good you are, they won't let you pass if you go running off by yourself. Like it or not, you need us."

Sasuke got up, and turned fully to face Naruto who also stood to his full height, which he noted with some amusement, put him at a good few inches taller than the avenger. Thankfully the foliage still shielded them form Kakashi's view while Sakura looked between the two in worry.

The Uchiha's onyx eyes bored into Naruto's blue ones. "Listen Uzumaki, I need no one. I need power to avenge my family, and I can get that power by fighting someone as strong as Kakashi, so don't get in my way."

Naruto was incredulous. "Listen to yourself, you moron! Didn't you hear what I said? The exercise is designed to evaluate _teamwork_, not stupidity. If you go around fighting everyone you come across, the only thing you'll be gaining is a coffin, and a mention in the obituaries. Work with us, your _team mates_, and pass or continue to get your ass kicked by Kakashi, and we can all spend another year at the academy. Won't that be fun?"

Sasuke silently fumed at the disrespect, but grudgingly accepted. He didn't relish the though of going back to the academy. "Fine! What's your oh-so-mighty plan then?"

A coy smirk made it's way onto Naruto's face. "I distract him, and while he's preoccupied with me, you two grab the bells."

Sasuke, and even Sakura looked incredulous. "_That's_ your plan!?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, why?"

"And how do you suppose you'll manage to distract him so much that it'll allow us to get the bells?"

Naruto moved to look between the branches, and leaves to where Kakashi was standing in the clearing, leaning against a tree, reading his smut. "I have an…ability that no one besides my family, and Kakashi-sensei knows about. Since I've been hesitant to show anyone this ability, Kakashi-sensei took my staff from me to force me to use this ability. He may know about it, but that doesn't mean he's prepared for it. I think I can surprise him enough that you two can move unnoticed."

"An ability?" Sasuke asked, intrigued. "What kind of ability?"

"One only I can use." Naruto answered idly. "Watch Kakashi-sensei for an opening, and make it count."

"Hey, I was talking--" Sasuke tried, but Naruto was already gone. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he spun on his heel, and marched off through the trees, Sakura following behind.

Kakashi giggled as he flipped to another page in his book, a light blush on his face. _'Ah, Icha Icha. Is there anything more beautiful?'_

"You know that smut's offensive to women, don't you?" A voice called.

Kakashi peered over the top of his book to see Naruto standing at the opposite end of the clearing, his haori, and scarf blowing in the breeze. Kakashi eye-smiled. "Some people just don't understand the literary genius that is Icha Icha."

Naruto smirked. "And what would you do if I told my mother that you read that garbage in front of three children?"

Kakashi paled behind his mask as visions of a pissed off Kinome danced through his mind, causing him to shudder. He'd seen scary Kinome before, and he wasn't keen on a repeat performance. "What can I do to buy your silence?"

"Give me the bells?"

"Sorry, no can do, I'm afraid you'll have to take them from me."

Naruto sighed. "Pity." They were silent for a moment before Naruto sprung into action.

He slapped his hands together, and from the ground in front of him burst numerous strands of barbed wire, their sharp points coated with rust. Kakashi's eye widened, and he threw himself into the air to avoid the metal tendrils. He unleashed a small barrage of shuriken to pin them to the tree, and he watched with satisfaction as they hit home, causing the wires to vanish in a puff of smoke. The remaining tendrils snapped towards him, weaving to, and fro to avoid the same fate. He slipped a kunai from his pouch, and managed to cut down the last of the wires as he turned to Naruto. "Very impressive, but I'm disappointed that you thought that would beat a Jounin."

Naruto quirked a brow. "Who said I care if they hit you?"

Kakashi was about to question the boy's logic when he heard a creak, and his head snapped towards the trees.

He paled.

Standing in every tree around the clearing, and even on the ground were rows upon rows of what could only be described as _demonic_ archers. Their blood crusted armour reflected no light, and their skinless skulls atop their shoulders grinned maliciously, green balefire glowing his hollow sockets as they trained their bows on the startled Jounin.

Kakashi looked at Naruto, and was not giddy to see the evil smile that was slowly growing on his face. Kakashi tensed as Naruto ever so slowly raised his arm, and his expert hearing picked up the sound of the bowstrings being pulled taunt. He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Naruto…"

Naruto let his hand drop, and the air was filled with the sound of arrows cutting through the air. Kakashi cursed a moment before the shafts rained down around him, hitting every vital spot in his body with a spurt of blood. He coughed up a wad of blood which stained the front of his mask as he toppled forward.

_**Poof!**_

'Kakashi' vanished, and in his place was a very abused log, every inch of which was taken up by an arrow. Naruto wasn't surprised at the switch, in fact he counted on it.

In his tree behind the rows of archers, Kakashi looked on with wide eyes as the demonic foot soldiers disappeared in puffs of black smoke, their arrows vanishing along with them. He couldn't believe the effectiveness of the blonde's Bloodline, and already battle plans were being drawn up in his mind. A sudden shuffling behind him caused him to turn, right into a pair of glowing red eyes.

Kakashi yelped, and launched himself out of the tree as the thing tried to take a bite out of his face. He hit the ground moments before a blur of grey landed in front of him. Kakashi's brow furrowed as he looked at what was undoubtedly one of the strangest creatures he has ever seen.

For all intents, and purposes, it looked like a ring tailed lemur, although instead of fur, this thing appeared to be made of rubber. It's overly flexible grey body was low on the ground, it's limbs splayed out as it fixed Kakashi with it's glowing red gaze, it's mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth. Behind it, it's long tail twitched.

Kakashi's hand slowly inched towards his kunai pouch. Before he could reach it however, two more blurs bounded out of the trees, and suddenly two more of the rubbery creatures were beside the first. A low hiss slithered from the creatures' throats, and the hair on the back of Kakashi neck stood on end.

'_Fuck it!'_ Lightning quick, he pulled a kunai, and tossed it towards the centre creature. His eye widened. He missed. Almost faster than he could track, the three little beasts launched themselves out of the way, springing up to latch onto the trees. They tensed, and Kakashi instinctively threw himself back as they launched himself at him.

Kakashi raced backwards through the trees, trying his best to get away from the springy little bastards, but no matter what he tried, he couldn't get away. Whenever he tried to run they cut him off, when he tried to attack them, they dodged with unnatural flexibility. It wasn't long before Kakashi realised they were herding him back towards the clearing.

Frustrated, Kakashi turned on the creatures just as he leapt out of the trees into the clearing, the things right behind him. He flashed through the hand seals, and smiled viciously as their glowing eyes widened.

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"**

Kakashi watched with satisfaction as the giant fireball consumed the little beasts, their screeching cries filling the air before they vanished. Not one to dawdle, Kakashi spun in mid air to see Naruto standing in the exact same spot with his hands clasped together.

"Oh crap." Kakashi muttered. Purely instinctively, he flipped backwards. It saved his life as a moment later, large bony spines burst from the ground. He was forced into a series of back flips, spins, and plain old dodging as more spines burst from the ground, forcing him back.

Kakashi's eye widened as his back hit a tree. He kept his eye on the single spine that slid up out of the ground, stopping inches from his face. Panting slightly, Kakashi looked over the sea of spines at Naruto who had yet to move from where he stood. _'Bastard…'_

The blonde casually folded his arms across his chest, and leaned against the tree behind him. "Well? How did you like my Leapers?"

Kakashi eyed the sea of bony protrusions before him. "I absolutely hate them, but I think saying you have potential would be an understatement."

Naruto smirked a little. "You brought it on yourself. I didn't want to use it. You forced me."

"Still you needed to use your full power or else it wouldn't be a fair test."

"Isn't a ninja's life centred around deception?" Naruto asked with a raised brow.

Kakashi nodded. "True, but you need to at least be a little comfortable with your comrades otherwise there would be a great deal of trust issues."

Naruto shrugged. "Well, at least we passed the test."

Now Kakashi was confused. "No you didn't. You didn't get the bells."

"True, _I _didn't get the bells, but _they_ did."

A jingle at his side caused Kakashi's head to snap downwards where he saw Sasuke, bells in hand with Sakura behind him. The Jounin could only gape at the two Genin walked past him to join their team mate as the spines retreated back into the ground. Naruto held out a hand, into which Sasuke dropped the bells, his black eyes looking at Naruto calculatingly. If Naruto noticed or felt uncomfortable with the Uchiha's gaze, he didn't let it show.

Kakashi pushed himself off the tree, and walked over to his students. "Well you do have the bells, but I remember saying that only two of you would pass, so which one of you will go back to the academy?"

Naruto shook his head, and handed the two bells to his team mates. "Nope, it won't work. Either you pass all of us, or you pass none of us. Your choice."

Kakashi's neutral gaze swept over the team, glancing between his pink haired student, and the black haired one. "You two agree with him?"

Sakura looked indecisive, and apprehensive for a moment, but one glance at Naruto who nodded reassuringly hardened her resolve. "Yes, I agree with Naruto."

Kakashi said nothing, but looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke?"

The avenger looked at the bell in his hand for a long moment, obviously going through some internal battle before he looked at Naruto. The blonde nodded, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly before letting out a sigh. "I…agree."

"I see." The tension was high as Kakashi looked at his students, what little they could see of his face giving away nothing. Just as the Genin were starting to fidget, Kakashi suddenly broke into one of his patented eye-smiles. "Congratulation you three, you pass!"

Sakura clapped her hands in delight while Naruto, and Sasuke smiled (Well Sasuke smirked, but you get the picture).

Sakura turned to Naruto, a smile on her face. "Naruto, that was amazing! How did you do that?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head as Sasuke turned to hear. He wanted to know this as well.

Naruto blew a few stands of hair out of his eyes as he looked up at the sky. "Well…it turns out that I have a Bloodline that allows me to create anything I can imagine."

That caught Sasuke's attention. "A Bloodline? How come I've never heard of it then?"

Naruto turned to Sasuke, a slightly patronising look in his eye. "Besides the Sharingan, and the Byakugan, how many Bloodlines do you actually know of?"

Predictably, Sasuke was silent, but he glared at Naruto for good measure.

Kakashi decided to fill in the blanks. "The reason you've never heard of the Bloodline is because Naruto is the first person to have it. All Bloodlines have to start somewhere, this is no exception. Unfortunately, like some Bloodlines, there are drawbacks."

"Drawbacks?" Sasuke asked as Naruto shuffled uncomfortably beside him.

Kakashi didn't answer, but instead turned to the blonde in question. "Naruto?"

The boy sighed as he rubbed a hand down his face. "There are…side effects from having the Ritsuzen. When I unlocked it, I started to suffer from terrible nightmares. I don't mean one every few nights, I mean every time I tried to fall asleep. It got so bad that eventually I developed a sort of self-induced case of insomnia."

Sakura blinked. "Insomnia?"

"It means I can't go to sleep." Naruto explained.

"You can't go to sleep? Hang on, when did this happen?" She asked, alarmed.

Naruto blew out a puff of air. "Well it happened about a week after I gained the Ritsuzen, so when I was seven, going on eight."

Sakura was incredulous. "Are you saying you haven't slept since you were eight years old!?"

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah…"

The three Genin were silent as they digested this.

Sakura was shocked that the blonde was not able to fall asleep because of his bloodline. It was hard to miss the dark rings around his eyes, and more than once he had come to class with hardly any energy. She remembered one day when his head had been lolling during a lecture, and it had been obvious he hadn't been paying attention. Iruka had scolded him about getting the right amount of sleep at night, and the class, her included, laughed. Now she felt terrible. She didn't want to imagine what it was like never to be able to sleep.

Sasuke of course felt differently. He had seen how the blonde managed to put Kakashi on the defensive without even moving. If that had been a hint at what the boy's Bloodline was capable of, he wondered how strong he wondered that if he could beat it, would he be a step closer to finally killing Itachi.

Naruto just felt uncomfortable. He didn't want pity for people to feel sorry for him. He just wanted to be normal. _'Stupid predicament…'_

The three jumped when Kakashi clapped his hands loudly. "Alright, now that we're a team, we can get started on missions. I need to go file some paperwork to approve you as a team, and you're probably tired so I'll meet you at the Hokage Tower tomorrow morning. Naruto, if you'll stay behind a moment I'd like a word."

They watched the other two member of their team walk back towards the village in silence. When Sakura's pink hair vanished, Kakashi turned to Naruto, and handed him back his staff. "Here, I assume you want this back."

Naruto took the weapon with a nod, and slung it over his shoulder. "Thanks, but that's not what you wanted, is it?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No." He sighed as he tried to find the words.

Naruto was quiet as the Jounin floundered. He could tell that whatever was about to happen was either painful or uncomfortable for the grey haired man. After a few minutes Kakashi finally acted, and did the absolute last thing Naruto was expecting.

He knelt.

Kakashi got down on his knees, and knelt before Naruto, his forehead touching the ground. "I'm sorry."

Naruto was shocked. "S-Sensei?"

"I'm sorry for my actions. It was because of me that you suffered as you did that night. If I hadn't abandoned my post as I did, Tekirui wouldn't have gotten inside the compound, and you wouldn't have been attacked. Nothing I can do can make up for this, but I beg your forgiveness." Kakashi didn't rise, instead he stayed where he was, ready to suffer any punishment Naruto wanted to give out.

Naruto let out a puff of air as he knelt next to the Jounin, resting a hand on the grey haired man's shoulder. "Sensei, please get up. I don't blame you for what happened so there's no need for all this."

Kakashi finally looked up at the blonde, although he didn't rise from his knees. "What? You mean…"

"I already knew?" Naruto supplied. Kakashi nodded. "Jiji told me years ago, a few months after it happened actually. He sat me down, and explained everything that went on that night."

"If you already knew then why didn't you protest at being put on this team?"

"Oh I did, but that was because I wasn't paired with Shikamaru, and Chouji, not because I had you for a sensei." Naruto smirked slightly before sobering. "I know all about the Uchiha Massacre, and the full alert that went off. Since the alarm isn't sounded unless something big is happening, it must have meant that it was important, and it was. An entire clan had just been killed off. You did what any ninja would do. Hell, if it was me, I would have left to see what was going on myself. Anyway, it's all in the past, and nothing can change it so let's just move on, okay?"

Kakashi stared at the boy in amazement. At the very least, the last Hatake had been expecting the blonde to lash out like his mother did all those years ago, but here he was ready to forgive him like it never happened. The knowledge that this was the same child he harboured a strong dislike for all those years ago made his stomach twist uncomfortably.

Kakashi's face crinkled as his eye curved into it's upside-down 'U' shape, an indication that he was smiling. "You're a good man, Naruto."

The blonde blushed lightly, and scratched the back of his head, causing his teacher to chuckle, and ruffle his hair. He stood, brushing grass off his knees, and looked up at the sky. It was getting late. "C'mon, I'll wake you back to your home. I'm guessing your mother won't be happy that I kept you late."

With a nod, Naruto turned, and left the training grounds side-by-side with his teacher.

* * *

**A/N: And there we go, the first taste of the Ritsuzen. There are a couple of things I want to address in this note.**

**CREATURES**

**I would like everyone to think up an idea for a creature to create. I'm not being lazy, I just like to include the audience. Think about what your creature looks like, give it a name, and list it's abilities, and weaknesses. Those people who's creatures I use will be named in an honorary shout out at the end of each chapter next to the name of their creature.**

**TEAM 7**

**I know, damnit, I know! I didn't want this configuration either, but I saw no other way. Rest assured I have plans in motion for this, and I hope it's surprising, and entertaining.**

**PAIRING**

**Sakura is out, that's pretty much a guarantee. Instead she will be a sort of adoptive sister to Naruto, being closer than a friend, but not as close as a girlfriend.**

**I have been considering FemHaku as the girl of choice, as I think they would work well together. Regardless of what most writers do, I'm not pairing people together based on how well their skills would compliment each other in a fight. That would mean they are good team mates, not lovers.**

**Someone also suggested FemGaraa as an option. I thought it was an interesting idea. Just something to think about.**

**No pairings are decided as of yet.**

**Remember: Read and Review!!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: After much deliberation, re-deliberation, tri-deliberation, super-deliberation, Chuck Noris!Deliberation and many meetings with the brain-monkeys that live in my closet I have finally decided that the pairing for this story will be Naru/FemHaku.**

**Listen to my reasoning.**

**It's basically a matter of practicality. If I chose FemGaara then I'd have to drastically change many things about the character's looks and personality. Haku's gender in the actual Kishimoto plot, for me at least, is a open choice. It could go either way. Haku may have been simply a highly effeminate boy or a girl pretending to be a boy for her own reasons. It's up to the reader to decide. Also every time I'd try to write a romantic scene involving FemGaara, the male Gaara's image would pop into my head, ruining the whole thing. Haku at least appears female and can honestly be considered as such (And the more effeminate name helps too). The fact that I myself preferred FemHaku and the ease Haku can be thought of as a girl also played a part in my decision but I tried to think beyond that and think of what would make this story the best it could be.**

**If you were rooting for FemHaku then congrats! If you were rooting for FemGaara them sorry. If you were rooting for any other pairing then sorry. But still, give it a try! Maybe you'll like it. I myself didn't like didn't like NaruFemHaku until I read a fic about the pairing (Can't remember the name of the fic but it was a big one, over 100,000 words and is still going).**

**Anyway, sorry for the long ramble. I'm going to shut up now as writing this has reduced my brain to mush (I just tried to type "reduced" like fifteen times before I got it right, point made lol).**

**CHAPTER 9**

He crouched low beneath the shadowed cover of a small bush, all but invisible to the world. He remained stock still, his breathing low and regular as he waited for his pursuers to move on. He couldn't see them but he could smell them, hear the rustle of their strange coats and the sound of the occasional moved branch. They wouldn't find him. Not this time. He was sure of it. Many times had he escaped, managing to break away from the torment that he had been forced to endure since he was born, but always did the Hunters manage to capture him and return him to that Hell despite his protests. But not this time. This time he was determined to get his freedom and if he couldn't have that then he would die trying. He would not let them return him to the Fat One alive. He simply had to be patient, use every ounce of skill, guile and cunning he had amassed during his previous escapes and he would be free.

The sound of rustling leaves, far closer this time, reached his keen ears and his eyes narrowed. Was it one of the Hunters? Had they found him? No, he was confident that he was perfectly hidden. So what was it then? It didn't smell like one of the Hunters. In fact, the scent he was getting was strange. It was… exotic and… enticing. It drew him in, filled his senses with a warm fuzziness that left him punch-drunk. What was going on?

He watched, spellbound, as a long and shapely leg stepped through the bushes and his breathing stopped as he took in the… _Goddess _before him. The first thing he saw was her eyes. Like two shimmering pools of the purest of blue water glittered as she stared at him. Her golden mane seemed to catch fire in the midday sun, the light reflecting of each luxurious strand. She moved with supine grace, each step measured and precise. She cocked her head to the side as she regarded him curiously. Hesitantly and hopefully he inched out from his shelter, all thought of the Hunters perusing him gone from his mind, seemingly taking all conscious thought with them. His entire universe revolved around the beautiful creature before him. She watched him intently for a few more seconds before turning and preparing to leap back into the bushes. He took a quick step forward, a pitiful sound mewing from his thought. He didn't want her to go! But wait. She looked back. She looked back! A slight motion of her head indicated for him to follow her and his heart leapt. With all the speed he possessed he darted fully out from under the bush and ran to her. He was barely a foot from her when it happened. Spiny sticks of bone shot from the ground before him, blocking her from him. What was happening! He quickly back peddled, intent on gaining some distance between him and the bones when more shot from the ground around him, growing and reforming into a cage that surrounded him completely. Terrified, he looked at her, a whine of warning squeaking from his throat.

She vanished in a puff of black smoke and he blinked. What happened? Where did she go! He snapped his head round to the sound of rustling leaves and his eyes narrowed, a his of anger slithering from his throat. A Hunter! Did he have something to do with his love's disappearance? He would have his vengeance, freedom be damned! He thrashed violently against his confines, attempting to reach the Hunter so he could tear him apart. The Hunter just regarded him with faint curiosity. He continued to gnaw, thrash and slam against his prison even as the Hunter pressed a paw to his ear, speaking to the other Hunters.

"Target, Tora the cat, has been captured."

* * *

Naruto watched the small ginger cat thrash about inside his Ritsuzen created cage, slightly alarmed by how it slammed against the hard bone bars, unconcerned by the damage it may have been dealing itself. What was wrong with this thing? More importantly, why was the Fire Daimyo's wife asking for its return when obviously the thing was insane?

He heard the rustling of bushes behind him heralding the arrival of his team.

"Good job, Naruto." Kakashi said as he walked up to stand beside the boy. A quickly glance at the ribbon on the cat's ear confirmed that this was indeed the infamous Tora, the Bane of the Genin. "I guess you really can recreate pheromones with your Kekkei Genkai."

"I guess so." Naruto agreed. It was something that he'd never considered before so when they were told that their latest D-rank involved capturing a cat he decided to give it a whirl. He'd heard horror stories from his mom about the original Tora, the current Tora's mother, and deduced that the newest incarnation of the little beast could have been just as, if not more than, skilled as his forebear at evading Genin teams. So he came up with the plan to lure the cat out of hiding with a Ritsuzen created female cat in heat knowing that Tora wouldn't be able to resist and trapped him in a bone cage when he was out in the open. And it worked like a charm.

"Do we have to keep the poor thing in a cage though? Can't we let it out?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi shrugged. "Sure. But you have to carry it."

Sakura glanced back at the small feline who was still slamming against its confines, hissing and spitting up a storm. She stepped back slightly. "I'm good."

Naruto chuckled and went to pick up the cage so they could end this mission. "Whoa!" He leapt back as Tora swiped at his hands, the cat's razor sharp claws missing his fingers by mere millimetres. Naruto was greatly unnerved by the unblinking glare the cat was sending his way as it tried to chew through one of the bones. He was pretty certain he didn't want to be within a few miles of this thing when it was set loose.

Quickly thinking up a solution to his problem he pressed his hands together and from beneath the cage sprouted eight long segmented legs. The cage wobbled slightly for a second before scurrying up to Naruto like some freakish spider.

"Good idea." Kakashi nodded. "Let's report back to the Hokage and tell him mission complete."

So together Team 7 moved back through the village towards the Hokage Tower. They got quite a few strange looks but most were directed towards the psychopathic cat in the weird spider-cage thing following them like a lost puppy. Most just shrugged it off and went back to their business. In a ninja village something weird happened every day.

Once they reached the mission room it wasn't long before they were called.

"Ah, Team 7. Done already?" The Hokage asked as he puffed on his pipe from where he sat behind the desk. He often tried to sit in at the mission hall at least once a week. It helped him keep in touch with his ninja and reminded him that his subordinates were people, not tools. Not that he thought he needed the reminder but it did affect your mindset when you constantly assigned missions where you knew people might not be coming back.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Naruto came up with a rather ingenious plan and it worked wonderfully." Kakashi said, ignoring the blonde's blush at the praise.

Sarutobi chuckled at the red coating Naruto's face. "I'm sure. Well, just put Tora on the table and I'll call his owner in to collect him."

Naruto looked down at the cage sitting obediently at his side and motioned his head towards the table. The loyal cage scuttled up the side of the table and settled on top of the papers in front of the Hokage. Sarutobi wasn't the only one disconcerted by the cat that _still_ hadn't stopped thrashing around.

"Uh… okay. Iruka, could you call her in?"

"Y-Yes, Hokage-sama." The Chuunin stared at the crazy feline even as he rose from his chair and went to the door. He returned a few moments later with the podgy form of the Daimyo's wife.

"Oh, my baby!" The woman cried as she toddled forward. She was taken aback by the cage containing her little darling. "Oh my! What is that? What's my poor little Tora in?"

"No worries, madam, it was simply a precaution to ensure than nothing happened to him while my ninja brought him back." He gave a faint nod to Naruto to release the cat and the cage vanished in a bloom of black smoke.

The ginger animal was surprised when his prison suddenly vanished but quickly gained his bearings when he noticed that nothing now stood between him and his prey. With a feral hiss he launched himself off the table, claws sliding from the pads of his paws as he prepared to gouge the young boy's eyes out but before he could get there he was intercepted by _her_! The Fat One!

"Oh, my poor, poor baby!" The woman wailed, clutching the cat to her bosom tightly. "Mommy will never let you out of her sight again, you had me worried sick! Hiruzen, thanks again. I'll tell my husband you were asking for him. Come along you, we're going home."

The ninja watched the woman leave the office, chattering to her cat. Tora seemed to ignore her for the most part and Naruto was particularly disturbed by the intense stare the cat was sending his way. He was sure that if looks could kill he'd be nothing more than a tiny pile of ash at that moment.

He shuddered as the door closed behind her. "Jiji, don't take this the wrong way or anything but if you try to assign me a mission involving that cat again I'm going rogue. I think I'd rather take my chances with the Hunter-nin than with Tora right now."

"Yes, I agree." Sarutobi muttered before shaking his head. You couldn't have the Hokage of all people condoning going AWOL. _'Regardless of how good the reason is.'_ He thought. Getting back to the matters at hand he produced another scroll from the large D-rank pile. "I have one more for you to do today and then you can take the rest of the night off. It's a simple babysitting mission but the client asked for your team specifically."

Naruto's eyebrows rose. "Who makes a team request for a D-rank?"

"Your mother. She's going on a mission and won't be back until early morning. Asuma will be gone for the rest of the week and I'm stuck here so she wanted you to watch Konohamaru and his friends for the rest of the afternoon then put them to bed, or take them home in Moegi and Udon's cases. Since you've been requested personally you'll get a small bonus in your pay."

Naruto looked dubious. "I'm getting paid with my own family's money?"

"No, any mission below C-rank that the Hokage or any member of his family requests is automatically paid for by the village." He gave a playfully smug smirk. "One of the perks of being the boss."

"We'll accept it." Kakashi said.

"Good." Sarutobi replied and handed the Jounin the scroll. "They should be at the compound right now. Naruto can show you the way."

With that the team bowed and left the mission room. Naruto took the lead, showing them the way. Eventually they entered the mostly deserted districts surrounding the compound. These streets were only starting to become repopulated by residents. The Kyuubi attack then the arrest of all the Naruto-haters had significantly diminished the number of villagers in the village. It would still be many years before the streets would be flowing with life again but it was slowly getting there.

Naruto pushed the gates of the perimeter wall open and led his team up the small gravel path to the main doors of the house.

"Wow, Naruto, you live here?" Sakura asked appreciatively as she looked at the stylish manor before them. "Pretty snazzy."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, although it's just me, my mom, my little brother and Uncle Asuma. Kind of a big place for just the four of us. Now speaking of brothers, where's Ko?" He asked himself as they walked through the halls. They checked the living room, kitchen, Konohamaru's bedroom and the courtyards but there was no sign of the kids.

"What's that?" Sasuke asked.

"What's what?"

"Listen."

It took them a second but they heard the faint sound of voices coming from somewhere deeper in the compound.

"I think it's coming from the dojo." Naruto said. The followed him through the halls, the sounds of voices becoming louder and clearer as they progressed. They could hear three distinct children's voices and one deeper one. Naruto threw open the doors of the dojo.

"Bro!" Konohamaru shouted in excitement when he noticed his big brother. He ran to the blonde, quickly followed by Moegi and Udon. "Are you done for the day? Can you play with us now?"

"Yeah, brat, I can play. Were on a mission; we've to look after you three for tonight."

"Cool!" The three exuberant kids shouted.

A fifth voice entered the conversation. "Konohamaru, we are not done here, don't run off for no reason. Hello, Naruto."

"Ebisu." Naruto nodded back over the kids, his smile fading. He didn't care much for the Jounin nor did the Jounin care much for him.

Many months back when Naruto entered the academy Sarutobi had to find someone to look after Konohamaru. Since he was at the academy and his mother and uncle were full time Jounin Konohamaru needed a part-time caretaker to watch him until Naruto got home from the academy and that job became even more permanent when he graduated. He didn't like how the man filled Konohamaru's head with all that "quick route to being Hokage" crap and he knew that the man thought he was a vagabond and a ruffian (His words) and told Konohamaru as much. But none of that mattered compared to the crux of Naruto's distain for the shades wearing Jounin.

That was the fact that the self-righteous, pompous closet pervert had the hots for _his _mom!

Naruto tried not to think about the man's obsession with his mother. The whole topic turned his stomach. That, plus the man's poor attempts at wining Kinome were just awful. It was physically painful to her the poor excuse of a man's chat-up lines, hilarious though they may be. He and Asuma had had many hours of fun tormenting his mom on her fanboy. Kinome always just told them to hush. Apparently she and Ebisu had gone through the academy together and she had been aware of his 'little crush' since day one and told them it was just a phase.

Naruto privately wondered if a ten year obsession could be considered a phase and only hoped it would pass soon. Although given the man's commitment to "the cause" so far he doubted it.

Ebisu nodded respectfully towards Kakashi. "Kakashi-sempai. I was unaware that you and your team would be stopping by."

"We're on a D-rank for Kinome. She wants us to look after the kids until she gets back from her mission."

Ebisu frowned and pushed his shades further up his nose, a furrow between his brows. "I wonder why she didn't ask me to do it. I would have gladly looked after them for her."

"Yeah, I bet you would have." Naruto muttered just loud enough for his team to hear. Forcing his face into some semblance of a polite expression he said, "Well we're here now so I guess there's really no reason for you to stick around any more. Why don't you take the rest of the night off?"

Ebisu merely glanced at the boy. "I don't know. Maybe I should stay. Just to make sure these three are okay."

Sasuke snorted at the Jounin. "You make it sound like the kid's would die in our care."

"Of course I don't. I'm sure they would be fine regardless of who looked after them." It was quick but Naruto saw the Jounin glance at him. The slight wasn't lost on him.

"Then you can leave since they would be fine under our care." The blonde said coolly, his voice straining with the effort of keeping up his civil façade.

Ebisu looked deeply contemplative. "I don't know. I could never live with myself if anything were to befall-"

"Oh for God's sake! My mother is not here and will not be back until tomorrow! There's no need to grandstand for an audience that's not even here so go home!" Naruto snapped, tired of the man's presence. Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke and the kids just watched the interaction with interest.

Ebisu turned to the boy and peered at him over his shades. Naruto returned the stare unflinchingly. "I think, _Genin_, that you should remember that I'm a superior officer and that you're still on duty. You should show proper respect."

Naruto's eyes narrowed into icy slits. "And you should remember, _Jounin_, that I'm the Lord of this House. You should also show proper respect and heed my wishes when you're on my property."

Kakashi felt that it was time to intervene before things began to escalate. "That's enough. Naruto, Ebisu's right, while you're on duty you should show a superior officer respect. Ebisu, Naruto's also right, while his mother and uncle are away Naruto is the Lord of the House and has the rights and respect of one. Go on home, we've got things here."

Ebisu appeared unhappy but nodded nonetheless and took his leave. Naruto watched as the man disappeared around the corner and out of sight.

"Bro?" Konohamaru asked.

Naruto shook his head and turned back to the group. "Sorry about that. Can't stand that guy. Why Jiji keeps him around at all is beyond me. Seriously, how can he be a Jounin."

"Now now, Naruto, Ebisu is a very skilled ninja. He wouldn't be a Jounin if he wasn't." Kakashi chided him.

"Yeah, well I'm starting to think he stole that vest from somewhere." He looked at the three kids. "So what were you four doing in the dojo?"

"Ebisu-sensei was training Konohamaru." Moegi piped up.

He turned to his little brother with a raised brow. Ebisu wasn't actually allowed to train Konohamaru for real but he often lectured the boy under the promise of training. "Really? And what was he 'training' you in today?"

"He was saying that if I listen to him and follow his teachings I'll be Hokage in no time." Konohamaru said excitedly.

Naruto shook his head. That man was a moron, filling the kid's heads with that tripe. "And what do we do when Ebisu-sensei starts 'training' us?" Naruto asked, sounding very much like a first year academy instructor.

"Nod along and ignore every word." The three children answered in perfect unison.

"Very good." Naruto nodded. Behind him Sakura giggled into her hand. It seemed that this was a very well practiced routine. Naruto clapped his hands together loudly, gaining their attention. "Now that Ebisu is gone what's say we get on with things. Have you guys had dinner?" The three shook their heads. "Okay so that's the first order of business. Let's go find us some food."

They went back into the kitchen where the children promptly plopped their butts onto the chairs surrounding the dinner table. Team 7 stood nearby while Naruto looked at what they had in the way of food. They had to admit it was interesting to see how the relatively quiet and reserved boy acted around the three children.

"Okay," Naruto said as he examined the contents of the refrigerator. "We have fish."

"Hmm… no." The kids decided.

"Alight." Naruto muttered. "Fish fingers, mashed potatoes and peas?"

"Uh… no."

"Okay. Onion soup?"

"No."

"Macaroni and cheese?"

"No."

"Brussels sprouts?"

"Ew! No!"

"Broccoli?"

"Eww!"

"Spider eggs?"

"Bro, no gross stuff!" Konohamaru cried, clasping his hands over his ears to block his brother out.

"You sure? I think we've still got some worm and beetle pie in the back." He dug further into the refrigerator to find the imaginary pie.

"Pizza!" Konohamaru declared, thrusting his fist into the air.

"Yeah, pizza!" His friends backed him up.

"Hmm, I don't know." Naruto said unsurely as he thought it over.

"Please?" The three begged, clasping their hands together. Naruto didn't even have to turn around to know that they were trying their patented 'Puppy Eyes' jutsu.

He still wasn't convinced. Although he was hungry and pizza did sound good. He looked at his team. "What do you guys think. Pizza for dinner?"

"You're asking us?" Sasuke asked, surprised.

Naruto shrugged. "Unless you don't want any."

The three members of his team looked at each other and shrugged. "Sure, pizza sounds great." Kakashi agreed.

"Pepperoni good for everybody?" Naruto asked as he set about gathering the ingredients.

"Yeah." They agreed.

"Alright, Ko, Moegi, Udon, you guys go and pick the movie you want to watch tonight. Sasuke go with them and make sure they don't fight. Sakura come here and give me a hand. And Kakashi-sensei since I can't order you around and since it's unlikely you'll offer a hand to help why don't you go wait in the sitting room until we're ready?"

Far from being offended by his student's lack of faith in him Kakashi just shrugged and complied. _'Besides, this means I can get in a few minutes with my book, haha.'_

"And don't think about reading that damn book in this house."

Kakashi froze in the doorway to the sitting room and blinked. _'How did he-'_

"And don't wonder how I knew just don't do it."

Thoroughly freaked out, Kakashi hastened into the sitting room. Sasuke just followed behind the kids as they went to pick a movie for the night and Sakura helped Naruto with the pizza. She glanced at him out of the side of her eye. Ever since she first saw him at the academy Naruto had always been quiet and withdrawn, rarely saying anything about himself or without anyone talking to him first. Sure, he talked a lot with Shikamaru and Chouji but even then he was reserved, only talking about mundane, unimportant things. Seeing him interact with the kids had been surprising, especially since they had never taken a babysitting mission before. Seeing this side of him was rather endearing and she decided to see if she could find out a little more about her team mate.

"So, Naruto," She said as she chopped up the ingredients. "You seem to be pretty well versed when it comes to taking care of kids. You handled yourself like a pro."

Naruto chuckled as he kneaded the dough. "I don't know about other kids but when it comes to Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon I'm pretty much an expert on the subject."

"So you've done this type of thing before I take it?" Sakura wondered, passing him the chopped up ingredients.

"Oh yeah." He nodded as he set about sprinkling the ingredients on the pizzas. "Pretty much ever since they were born I've been the official babysitter, older brother, protector and "Boss" of the Konohamaru Corps."

Sakura laughed. "The Konohamaru Corps?"

Naruto nodded sagely. "Yes. 'Tis a powerful group consisting of Sarutobi Konohamaru, Mitokado Udon and Utatane Moegi with me as their unofficial Boss. Their true goals are of the utmost secrecy, even from me, but I do know that some of them include Konohamaru defeating Jiji and becoming the Hokage, establishing themselves as the Prank Masters of Konoha and swiping as many cookies from the cookie jar as they can without being caught by any mothers or potential mother sympathisers." He glanced at her, a small grin about his lips. "Like I said, 'tis a powerful group."

Sakura laughed again just as Konohamaru poked his head into the kitchen. "Hey, Bro, can we watch Friday the 13th?"

"No." Naruto rounded on him sharply. "The last time I let you talk me into letting you watch a horror movie I had three angry mothers battering down my door because their young children were up all night too afraid to go to sleep. I spent a month cleaning out the koi ponds because of that. Pick something else."

Konohamaru pouted but knew there was no arguing with him. Not when he used _that_ voice.

Sakura shook her head with a bemused smile. "Amazing. Any other guy would probably have just given them candy for dinner and slapped on the scariest movie he could just to see them scared."

Naruto snorted as he checked the pizzas. "Trust me, if you value your sanity you will never give the Konohamaru Corps sugar after six and I have no intention of going into Ko's room every five minutes tonight to check to see if there are any homicidal hockey mask wearing, machete wielding madmen hiding in his closet. They know I have rules and that I'll stick to them."

She patted his whiskered cheek condescendingly and gave a cheeky smile. "You're going to make a great wife for someone someday."

"I can only hope." He deadpanned, causing her to laugh.

The sound of running feet reached their ears and they turned to see Konohamaru and Udon rush into the kitchen, seemingly racing.

"Bro, isn't the Karate Kid movie a better movie?" The young Sarutobi asked quickly before his friend could get a word out.

"I'm telling you, Toy Soldiers is better!" Udon insisted, sniffling his near constantly dripping nose.

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is!"

"No it isn't!"

"It is!"

"Isn't!"

"Is!"

"Isn't!"

"Brats!" Naruto snapped, instantly breaking them out of their roundabout argument. "I don't care which one is better, the only thing I want you to decide is which one we're going to watch tonight. And you better pick soon before Moegi finds and subjects us to the Princess Diaries!"

Both boys paled at that. When Moegi first got that movie they were forced to watch it three nights in a row before Naruto managed to hide it. Despite their best efforts some of the lovey dovey storyline was actually memorized and no matter how hard they tried they couldn't forget it.

Konohamaru turned to his friend. "So, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth."

They vanished back through the door. Naruto shook his head with a chuckle and turned back to the oven when he noticed Sakura smiling at him a little too coyly.

"What's the matter with your face?"

Her smile grew and a pink eyebrow arched teasingly. "The Princess Diaries?"

His eyebrow twitched. "It's Moegi's; she left it here the last time she was over."

"Suuure it is."

"You know, Sakura, it isn't really smart to tease someone when they're preparing your food. I mean anything could _accidentally _fall in. A laxative… a piece of glass… an exploding tag…"

"Point taken. What's say we get these pizzas onto plates and head on through?"

"Agreed."

* * *

The rest of Team 7, even Sasuke, had to admit that this D-rank was probably the best one they had had yet. There was no menial labour. No runaway animals. No grocery lists. There was just sitting down watching an albeit slightly boring movie with three surprisingly quiet kids and some damn fine pizza. They were under no illusions that the reason for the reason for this was anything other than the blonde element of their team who seemed to have a knack for making their D-ranks go by as quickly and smoothly as possible. Kakashi made a mental note to have his team automatically put down for any babysitting missions involving these three kids and maybe see about some others if the blonde proved to be as good with other children as well.

It wasn't long before their charges began to drift off one by one in front of the TV, surrounded by empty plates. The young tykes had claimed the spot as soon as Naruto popped the video in, leaving the Genin to take the couch with Kakashi settling himself comfortably into an armchair.

Hearing a quit snigger, Kakashi glanced over at Naruto who seemed amused by something. The blonde must have felt his gaze on him because he turned amused eyes to him and jerked his head towards the opposite end of the couch. Kakashi followed his gaze passed a half awake Sakura and couldn't stop the snigger of his own that escaped. Sasuke was lying against the armrest with his arms cushioning his head, sound asleep. He looked so cute and there was a small trail of drool running down his cheek. Kakashi wished he had a camera. This was blackmail gold.

Naruto leaned over to speak quietly to Kakashi as not disturb anyone else. "Maybe we should get Moegi and Udon home so they can get some sleep. I'll tuck Ko in and we can call it a night."

Kakashi nodded, stretching his stiff legs. "Sounds good, I was beginning to drift off as well. I'll take the kids home; I know where they stay. Sakura's house and the Uchiha district are in the same direction so I can walk them part way. You need any help tiding this mess up?"

"Nah, leave it. Mom'll most likely be hungry once she gets back so I'm gonna make something for her coming back and maybe watch another movie."

"Aren't you going to bed?"

Naruto looked at him pointedly.

Kakashi's eye closed. "Right. Insomnia. Sorry."

Naruto just waved him off. Together they roused the other half of their team and with a sleeping Moegi and Udon in each arm Kakashi led his students out into the dark streets towards their homes.

Naruto gently picked up his little brother, making sure not to wake him, and carried him through the dark halls of their home. When he reached the young boy's bedroom he slid the door open quietly with his foot. A nostalgic smile touched his lips as he took in what had been, up until Konohamaru had grown old enough to sleep in a bed, his room. Hardly a thing was different since he'd given it over to his little brother. The walls were still painted to resemble a forest and the large round mattress that he remembered fondly was still dunk into the depression in the floor, a pile of pillows at the "top".

He gently set his brother down onto the comfy mattress and pulled the covers over him. Konohamaru mumbled something intelligible in his sleep and rolled over, snuggling deeper into his pillows. Naruto simply sat watching the boy sleep for a few minutes, a small smile on his face. Not fighting the urge for once, he let his head rest on the unimaginably comfortable pillows, sighing wearily as he felt some of the constant tension he carried leave his body. He felt a pang of want and dismay, wanting nothing more than to doze off and rest. To feel that invigorated and rejuvenated feeling that only a good night's sleep could provide.

He brutally quashed that wish and reluctantly lifted his head from the pillow and rose from the bed. He shuffled to the door and rested a hand on the wooden frame. He glanced back at the form of Konohamaru, huddled under the duvet. Tonight had been a good night, he thought. He and his team had gotten along great, had fun and ate pizza and watched a movie with the kids. No barbs. No insults. No needless fighting. All in all it was a good end to a perfect day.

Stepping out of the room, he slid the door closed with a soft thud. His bare feet padding on the smooth wooden floors, Naruto returned to the sitting room where he gathered the plates before carrying them into the kitchen to clean up and prepare a meal for when his mother retuned from her mission.

* * *

The next day Team 7 met outside of the Hokage Tower for their daily supplement of D-ranks. As per usual they had to loiter for nearly and hour and a half until their sensei decided to grace them with his presence, his excuse already prepared.

Apparently an alligator was terrorizing the sewers around his neighbourhood and he had to wrestle it.

With resigned sighs the Genin trooped after the eccentric Jounin, wondering when, if ever, he would grow up and show up on time.

"Ah, Team 7. Here for a mission?" Sarutobi asked as he sorted through scrolls.

"Wow, Jiji. At the mission office twice in one week? Having a slow day?" Naruto asked, surprised at seeing his grandfather here again so soon.

Sarutobi nodded. "Yes, what little work I had is done for the day so I decided to come down here and help." He shook his head despairingly. "I spend all day dragging myself through mounds of documents trying to keep up with the workload and when I've actually finished for once what do I do? I go looking for more paperwork to do! I swear this job's turned me into some administrative zombie." He sighed. "But you didn't come here to listen to an old man and his troubles. Looking for a mission?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi nodded.

Sarutobi checked the scrolls and shook his head. "Sorry but they're all gone."

Kakashi's one visible eyebrow arched. "_All_ the D-ranks are gone?"

The Hokage just shrugged. "It's a slow day today, I don't know what's causing it."

Naruto sighed. "I guess we're going to be training today then."

"Well…"

Naruto looked up at his grandfather, his brow quirked. "Well what?"

Sarutobi stared at the team for several long. "I might have a proposition for you." The Sandaime began, his voice even and measured. "If your sensei agrees of course."

Kakashi, although slightly surprised, couldn't curb his own curiosity. "I'm open to suggestions."

Sarutobi plucked a scroll from one of the numerous piles on his desk and handed it to the Jounin. "I received a mission request from the Daimyo of the Land of Festivals. It's been discovered that an assassin plans to make an attempt on the Daimyo's life and he requests a guard to protect him and if possible kill this assassin. It's a C-rank but since your team has been active for just a month I'm not comfortable sending you out on a mission of this level on your own. To that end, if your sensei agrees to take the mission, you'll be going with one of the other Genin teams."

Something was off to Naruto. "An assassin? Wouldn't something like that be more of a mission for Jounin? Why is it a C-rank?"

"It's because the assassin isn't a ninja. He or she is a civilian. It's not as uncommon as you'd think. There are plenty of non-ninja assassins out there. They can't stand up to a ninja in a fight but given sufficient time, knowledge and recourses they can even take down a Jounin if they're lucky."

"What do you say, sensei?" Sasuke asked. "Can we take it?"

Kakashi thought it over for several seconds, his masked face giving away nothing of his inner thoughts. After a few moments he turned to the Hokage and asked in a neutral voice, "Which team would you send if we accepted?"

"Most likely Kurenai's team. With her Genins' special abilities I believe that they would provide a great asset to finding the assassin." Sarutobi said.

Kakashi's head bobbed along as he absorbed the details. "Do we have a time frame for when the attempt on the Daimyo's life will happen."

Sarutobi produced a second scroll from his desk. This one was far more ornate than the mission scroll and Naruto noticed an elaborate crest embossed on its leather skin. "We have several possible over the course of next week but it's believed that the assassin will make his move next Friday."

That triggered something in Naruto's memory and he struggled for several seconds to remember what it was. His ringed eyes widened and he gave an incredulous groan, gaining the attention of his team. "_Please_ tell me this is some kind of poor joke."

Sarutobi just smiled and shook his head. "Believe me it's not. The assassin will most likely try to kill the Daimyo next Friday on Halloween Night. As the name suggests the Land of Festivals is very well known for it's celebrations and nearly every holiday is commemorated every year by village wide festivals. Halloween Night is no exception. The Daimyo will be in hosting a masquerade ball on his private ship in the harbour during the festival. The celebrations would be ample cover for a hit to take place."

"And you want us to go and make sure he makes it through the festival alive?" Sasuke surmised.

Sarutobi nodded. "Ideally you would find and neutralize the assassin so that he doesn't come back later and kill the Daimyo. You should also try to find out who hired the hit and why. This is, of course, if your sensei agrees to take the mission."

Sakura turned to the grey haired Jounin. "Sensei?"

The grey haired Jounin rolled the scroll in his hand as he pondered the proposal. By all intents it was a good deal. A simple mission with a simple goal, his students, while lacking in teamwork so far, were strong individually and in the off chance that anything did go wrong they would have another team there as backup. Plus it might be good for the kids to work alongside the other Genin. While improvements had been made since the team first formed Sasuke and Naruto were still rather distant, to different degrees, and Kurenai's influence might help motivate Sakura a little more. Plus he could pick the Genjutsu expert's brain for tips on training his team. Leading teams was his skill, not training them.

To hell with it. At the very least it would be a good break from the monotony.

"We accept." He said, tucking the scroll into his vest.

"Yes!" Sakura pumped her fist into the air while Naruto just grinned happily and Sasuke smirked his approval.

"Very well. I'll talk to Kurenai later on today and if she agrees she'll meet you with her team at the gates tomorrow morning." Sarutobi said, making a note on a scrap of parchment.

Kakashi turned to his team who were visibly elated at the turn of events. "Since there are no missions for us to do why don't you guys run home and make sure you've got everything ready. Make sure to pack enough clothes and supplies for at least two weeks. We'll meet at the east gate at nine tomorrow."

His students nodded and left the office, each returning to their homes to make sure their gear was packed and ready. Tomorrow would mark a milestone event in their lives.

* * *

**A/N: Remember to review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Naruto twirled his staff as he took two quick steps forward, then swept low behind him, taking the feet from beneath an imaginary opponent. His staff came over in an arc, a full three hundred and eighty degrees, and smashed down where his enemy's head would have been. He fell back into his stance and jabbed twice with the bronze capped end, then a vicious spear that would have crushed the windpipe of any soul unfortunate enough to have been in the way. He had long since shucked off his gi and mesh shirt and a fine coat of sweat glistened on the tanned skin of his shoulders and upper arms.

He'd been at this for almost an hour now. Boredom had a firm grip on him that night and he decided to practice his staff technique for lack of anything else to do. This happened from time to time. At night, with nowhere to go and no one to talk to, time would drag on and unless he had something to occupy his mind with he would have to silently suffer the long hours until dawn alone. Thankfully this didn't happen often. He usually found something to take up his time, whether it be a good book, a movie or even walking the village. Tonight he chose weapon practice.

With a final overhead slam that would have crushed any opposition, Naruto sank back into his first stance and let out a long, slow breath as his heartbeat returned to normal. He leaned his staff against the dojo wall and plopped down on the tatami covered floor, sipping from a bottle of water as he wiped the sweat off with a clean hand towel. He rested his back against the wall and closed his eyes with a sigh as he felt the light burn in his limbs ebb and fade into nothingness. Few things were as relaxing as a good workout.

His heavy lidded eyes cracked open and he glanced up at the beams of bright orange light stabbing through the small gap in the door to the courtyard he'd left open to allow a cool breeze while he practiced. Dawn had arrived and he decided to get ready for the day. He jumped into a quick shower, cold as per his usual, before changing into a clean set of clothes. Leaving his haori and scarf draped over the back of his chair he prepared breakfast and sat down with a plate of bacon sandwiches just as a very bedraggled Konohamaru stumbled into the kitchen, his hair an ungodly mess and still in his pyjamas.

"M'rn'n." The boy grumbled, still half asleep as he poured himself a bowl of cereal. Naruto had to reach over and direct the milk when Konohamaru nearly spilled it as he dozed in his chair.

"Eat. You'll wake right up." Naruto told him as he dug into his sandwiches. His little brother followed his advice and lo and behold the sugar kicked right in and the child started to resemble something close to alive.

"So what d'you plan on doing today, little brother?" Naruto asked as he washed down a mouthful of bacon with some orange juice.

Konohamaru had to swallow the mass of sugar covered cereal before he could speak. "Me, Udon and Moegi are gonna go to the park. Some of the other kids were saying that I can't climb the big tree so I'm gonna show them!" He exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air.

"No, you're not." Naruto said casually as he took another bite.

"What?" Konohamaru cried in disbelief. "But Bro, I _can _climb the tree! It's not _that_ tall!"

Naruto stared at the boy. "Ko, the tallest tree at the park is close to fifteen meters tall. That means it's fifteen times taller than you. I don't think Mom'll be happy if she has to shovel her youngest son off the ground because he wanted to prove some kids wrong. You're not climbing that thing."

"But Bro-"

Naruto gave him _that_ look.

Konohamaru crossed his arms and pouted. "Fine. I won't climb the stupid tree."

Naruto smirked and ruffled the boy's hair, gaining him an indignant complaint. "I knew you'd see things my way."

Konohamaru grumbled something unintelligible but then perked up when something occurred to him. "Hey! Today's the day you go on that big mission, isn't it?"

Naruto nodded. "Sure is."

"Cool!" Konohamaru grinned. "Hey, you think I can come with?"

Naruto gave him a strange look. "No you can't come." He said incredulously. "When have you ever been allowed to go on missions? You're not even in the academy yet!"

Konohamaru's face fell into a disgruntled grimace. "Well I had to ask…"

Naruto just shook his head at the child. "Tell you what, if I can I'll bring you guys something back from where I'm going."

"Cool. Where are you going again?"

"Can't tell you. Secret hush-hush ninja stuff." He looked around for eavesdroppers.

Konohamaru grinned at his brother's antics and dug back into his cereal.

Seeing the time Naruto strode over to the sink and deposited his empty plate into the soapy water. He looked at Konohamaru as he slipped into his haori and scarf. "I've got to go. Mom came back from her mission late last night and she looked pretty tired so under no circumstances are you to wake her unless it's important. I don't mean 'I can't find my toy' important, I mean 'The house is on fire' important. Oh, and stay out of my room or I'll give you the noogie from hell. We clear?"

Konohamaru nodded affirmative, and with a final pat to the boy's head, Naruto slung his pack over his shoulder and gathered up his staff before leaving to meet his team.

* * *

He was a few streets away from the gates when he saw a familiar blob of pink hair bobbing through the streets.

"Sakura!" He called.

Said girl stopped and turned, confusion written on her face until she saw the face of her blonde team mate. "Good morning." The girl said with a small smile. Her fully laden pack hung from both shoulders.

"Morning." Naruto nodded as he reached her. Together they manoeuvred their way through the streets. The morning rush was just starting, with many people starting to fill the streets either heading to work or out shopping. Young children ran towards the academy and civilian schools and Naruto noticed weary looking ninja, mostly Chuunin and Jounin, who had likely just returned from a mission. _'Is that what we'll look like when we come back?'_ He wondered.

"So," He asked. "Looking forward to the mission?"

Sakura bobbed twice, her long pink locks swaying with the movement. "Yeah, it should be fun. I mean two full teams are being sent so how dangerous can it be?"

Something in her voice was off and Naruto glanced at her, noticing that she was chewing her bottom lip slightly. "You're not afraid, are you?"

Her head flashed up. "Of course not!" She snapped indignantly.

Naruto raised his hands calmingly, realising how he sounded. "Not what I mean. I meant are you worried about the mission?"

"Oh." Sakura deflated. Then her nervous aura came back. "Well… a little. I mean we _are_ dealing with an assassin after all, even if he is a civilian. I just feel worried that something will go wrong."

"My mom said it's first mission jitters. Everybody gets them the first time they go out apparently. Don't worry about it. Like you said, two full teams are being sent so we'll be perfectly safe."

Sakura looked at him. "Does that mean you fell nervous?"

Naruto shrugged. "I did. For a while last night."

"How did you get over them?"

"Well I fretted for about an hour… then I got bored and watched a movie."

Sakura gaped at him. "That's it?"

Naruto shrugged again. "What more do you want? There's no point in worrying about it. If something goes wrong then we'll deal with it but remember, there are two Jounin and six Genin going on this mission so I doubt there'll be any real problems. A simple bodyguard mission, that's all this is."

Sakura just shook her head exasperatedly and the rest of the walk was made in silence. When they reached the gate they found Kurenai and Hinata waiting underneath a tree near the gate, talking in low voices. By the looks of it Kurenai was reassuring a troubled Hinata. First mission jitters, Naruto surmised. A few feet from them, his arms crossed as he leaned against the side of the gatehouse, Sasuke watched the thin flow of traffic coming and going from the village.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura greeted him excitedly, breaking away from Naruto's side to stand beside the Uchiha. "Are you excited about the mission?"

Sasuke didn't even glance in her direction. He just gave a low, affirmative grunt.

Naruto just shook his head at the scene, having seen it a thousand times before. Instead of joining his team mates he wandered over to the other two kunoichi. "Morning Kurenai. Morning Hinata."

"Good morning, Naruto. Did you're mother get back last night?"

"Yeah, she was exhausted when she came in. I told her about the mission. She said it sucks because she wanted to go out this weekend with you and Anko."

"I'll make it up to her when we get back. Have you got everything ready?"

Naruto patted the strap of his pack which dangled off his shoulder. "Must have packed and unpacked it at least a dozen times last night. I kept thinking there was something I forgot."

Kurenai smiled nostalgically. "I was the same the night before my first mission. I was running all over the house in a fret because I wasn't sure if I'd packed my kunai, then I remembered I had packed them but I wasn't sure if I had sharpened them. Eventually my dad took my pack away and sent me to bed. Good thing he did otherwise I'd have been dead on my feet the next morning. Oh, good morning boys."

"Morn'n, sensei." Kiba yawned as he pattered up to them, Akamaru trotting happily at his heels. Beside him stood Shino, his hands shoved deep inside his coat pockets. He merely gave them a brief nod. Their packs were slung over their shoulders.

Kurenai nodded to herself. "We'll, now all we need to do is wait for Kakashi then we can go."

"Just great." Naruto drawled. "Anybody got any cards because we're in for the long haul now."

"Why's that?" Kiba asked.

"Because Kakashi-sensei is always, and I mean _always_, late by no less than two hours every day."

"Really?" Kurenai asked, her red eyes narrowing.

Naruto nodded. "Yep. He was even three hours late picking us up on the day of the team assignments. Sakura nearly throttled him for that."

Kurenai frowned and made a 'hmm' sound in her throat. It seemed she'd need to have a word with the tardy veteran about setting a better example for his students.

Suddenly, a puff of smoke bloomed into existence a few feet away. Kakashi emerged from the smoke, his pack slung over his shoulder and his porn in hand. He giggled at one of its particularly dirty scenes, and looked up to see his three students starting at him in shock and, to his surprise, Kurenai, who's expression promised a reaming of the highest order, for reasons unknown to him.

"Uh… hey." He eye-smiled and gave a weak wave. "What's everybody looking at?"

"You're on time." Sakura stated bluntly, blinking rapidly as if trying to blink away a figment of her imagination.

"Um, yeah? What's wrong with that?"

"You're never on time." Sasuke said, just as bluntly as Sakura. He was sorely tempted to see if this was a genjutsu of some sort.

"You didn't think I'd be late for a mission, did you?" Kakashi asked, a little offended at the lack of faith in his professionalism.

"You've been late to everything else." Naruto pointed out dryly.

Kakashi chuckled sheepishly and scratched the back of his grey hair. Kurenai now had her arms crossed and was glaring at him. Oh boy, he was in for it now.

Trying to stall the impending lecture, he turned to the gathered Genin and asked, "Do you all have your gear packed?"

The Genin all nodded, showing him their packs.

"Great. Including today, it'll take three days to reach the Land of Festivals. It's Thursday today, so we'll have a lot of time to spare. I think that's all, Kurenai?" He looked to the genjutsu expert to see if she had anything to add.

The raven haired woman nodded. "I think that's everything. While we're on this mission, however, you still need training. We need to work out who trains, and at what times, as well as a rotation for watching the daimyo. He's going to need round-the-clock surveillance."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. "Good points. We'll work something out. Now, let's move out."

With that the teams took off through the gates. Cutting through the trees, they made good speed as they headed north towards the border.

* * *

Many hours later the two teams moved around the campfire, getting their tents set up. Most of the Genin managed on their own well enough, but Kiba, and to a lesser extent, Sakura, were having a bit of trouble. Still, they were doing better than Naruto who hadn't even unpacked his tent yet, instead choosing to bask in the heat radiating from the fire. Kiba, fed up with his unsuccessful attempts so far, decided to point this out.

"Hey, Naruto! Get your tent set up, you lazy bastard!"

Naruto, who had been lounging against the curve of a tree, cracked open an eye and glared at the Inuzuka. "I will." He said. "Eventually."

"Set up your tent, Naruto." Kakashi said distractedly as he flipped to another page of his Icha Icha. Kurenai had been giving her fellow Jounin withering looks since he first pulled it from his pouch but so far he was holding up well against them.

Grunting in annoyance, Naruto reached over and grabbed his pack. Without getting up, he pulled a scroll from inside and flicked it open. He lay it on the ground beside his languid form and bit his thumb before spreading it over the seal.

_Poomf!_

When the smoke cleared Kiba's jaw hit the ground, his face becoming red with rage. "Oh come on!" He shouted incredulously, gaining the attention of the others. They looked over to see what the problem was. Some snickered while others groaned.

Beside Naruto, right where the tent had been a moment before, was a tent, fully set up and ready to go. It was one of the fancier models which meant there was no need for ropes or pegs to be set up. Naruto had only needed one arm to do what had taken the other Genin at least a half an hour to do.

"Argh! Why didn't I think of that?" Sakura screamed in frustration, throwing down the peg she had clutched in her hand.

"A pre-built tent?" Kurenai asked, exasperatedly shaking her head. How lazy could this boy get? Beside her, Kakashi snickered. The kid was onto something. Maybe he'd start pre-building his tent too…

Naruto smiled smugly and tapped his temple. "Always thinking."

Kiba shook his head at the blonde, looking thoroughly unamused. "I hate you. Completely and utterly."

"Duly noted." Naruto yawned, turning away from the silently fuming Inuzuka to sit before the fire. He pilfered the spit of meat that had been roasting over the flames and blew on it before tearing a bite off. Kurenai sat across from him, slipping more meat onto another spit to roast.

Gulping down his mouthful of cooked rabbit, Naruto turned to the genjutsu mistress and asked, "Hey, sensei, how will we manage training if we have to watch the daimyo all the time?"

Kurenai propped the spit over the fire and started to slowly rotate it so as to get an evenly cooked meal. "We'll probably take shifts, one team watches the daimyo while the other trains. Some days we may need to go out information hunting to find out more about the assassination attempt but we'll worry about that when we find out more."

Naruto nodded and dropped back against the tree behind him. The others each grabbed their own meals from the fire as soon as they were ready and chowed down.

* * *

It was just after night fell on the third day that the Konoha teams got their first sight of the Land of Festival's capital city. Since the city was built on the shores of the sea, the city had a large number of canals running through it. The place practically screamed "goodtime". Neon lights glowed at them from all angles, music pounded from clubs and bars, the sounds of slot machines rang out of the casinos, and the streets were filled with people, most, if not all of whom, where completely trashed and having the time of their lives. They could see the preparations for the Halloween festival were already being erected, and by the looks of things it would be a party to remember.

Kurenai and Kakashi led their students through the packed streets, making sure none of them got lost in the throng. They followed the canals out of the entertainment districts towards the larger, and fancier homes built near the north of the city on the slopes of the hills.

They had just reached the largest and most ornate of the mansions when they were stopped at the gates by an entire squad of samurai. By the way they gripped their weapons and glared at the ninja suspiciously it was obvious that these men were on edge.

"State your names and you business." The captain of the group ordered, his eyes narrowed suspiciously under the crest of his helmet. One hand had a tight grip on the katana sheathed at his waist.

Kakashi stepped forward, his empty hands raised to show that they were no threat. "I'm Hatake Kakashi, and this is Yuuhi Kurenai and our students. We're ninja from Konoha. Your daimyo hired us as bodyguards for the Halloween festival."

The captain relaxed greatly and that, and waved for his men to stand down. "We've been expecting you, Hatake-san. Come, the daimyo ordered that you be brought to him at once upon your arrival."

He waved for the perimeter gates to be opened and as soon as they were, the ninja teams were led through into the mansion. The samurai captain kept a quick pace as they followed him through numerous hallways and up a number of stairs. Eventually, they came to a large set of cast iron double doors, inlaid with designs of golden dragons. The captain knocked twice on the doors and waited. When a voice called for them to enter, the captain pushed the doors open and motioned for the ninja to proceed.

Team Kakashi and Team Kurenai stepped into a large throne room. The floors were patterned in dark marble, with flowing designs crossing and entwining across the reflective floors and up the thick columns that held up the high roof. At the far end, directly across from the doorway, upon a raised podium, sat an immensely ornate throne, inlaid with gems and precious metals. A long conference table of dark mahogany sat before it, with high backed chairs on either side.

Two men stood at the foot of the podium. One was rather short, but very round. He was clad in long, flowing velvet robes of deep crimson. A thick golden chain hung around his chubby neck and his thick fingers constantly twisted a silken handkerchief nervously. His kind looking face was twisted with worry.

The other man was considerably taller and thinner than his companion. With fine grey hair and a handsome face that was clean shaven, it was obvious the man would have been quite the ladies man back in the day. His robes, while a tad less ostentatious than the first man's, still held a noticeable degree of elegance and wealth. While his face appeared impassive for the most part, the ninja could see the tightening of his pinched features. He was as worried as his companion.

Kakashi stepped forward, Kurenai and the others a step behind. He was the most senior officer on the mission, so all the official business fell on his shoulders. "Daimyo-sama, my name is Hatake Kakashi, a Jounin from Konohagakure. With me are my fellow Jounin Yuuhi Kurenai, and our Genin students. The Hokage sent us to guard you as soon as he received your letter." They bowed respectfully.

The short, fat man's face broke into a beaming, relieved smile, making him look ten years younger. "Ah, Kakashi-san! I was hoping you would arrive quickly. It seems Konoha's ninja haven't lost their edge in recent years. I am Hideyoshi, daimyo of the Land of Festivals." He stitched them the tiniest of bows. For a man of his station it was a stretch. "I hope you can help me clear up this dreadful assassin business."

"We hope so too, Hideyoshi-sama." Kakashi replied, straightening up again. "I'm afraid you'll have to catch us up though. Your letter to the Hokage was rather rushed and lacking in detail."

"Of course! Of course! Please, have a seat." He waved them over to the conference table and each ninja took a seat each. To their surprise the daimyo and his mystery man took the seats directly across from them. The whole ordeal must have been doing a number on Hideyoshi's nerves if he was forgoing standard procedure and eschewing his throne. "Would you like any refreshments?"

"We're fine, thank you." Kurenai nodded gratefully. "If you don't mind, Hideyoshi-sama, could you tell us just what has been going on? How did this whole matter with the assassin begin?"

"It was actually Noburu-kun here that alerted me to the conspiracy on against my life." He waved a thick fingered hand towards his silent companion. "Noburu has been my friend and chief advisor for many years now. He told me of the assassin's plan and I contacted you."

"How did you discover the plot, Noburu-sama?"

The man spoke with an articulate, expressive voice. "It was actually one of my guards that brought the matter to my attention. He had been out at a bar after his shift. He'd only just arrived when he heard voices coming from one of the back rooms. Curiosity got the better of him and he eavesdropped on the conversation. With the noise in the bar at the time it was hard to hear just what was said, but he distinctly heard one of the voices say, and I quote: 'The plan is on schedule. I'll make my move during the Halloween festival. If all goes according to plan, the daimyo will be dead before anyone realises what happened and I'll be off the ship and lost in the crowds by then'. Alarmed, the guard rushed into the room to apprehend the plotters, but them must have heard him coming because when he got to the room it was empty and the back door was open. The guard immediately told me, and I immediately told Hideyoshi-sama."

"Definitely a civilian then." Kakashi mused. "If it were a ninja who was planning to kill the daimyo he would have just killed the guard and covered his tracks. Just how drunk was the guard when he heard this?"

"That's what we thought too, and he hadn't had much; definitely not enough to addle his mind. Believe me when I say his word is trustworthy."

Kakashi thought on it for a minute. "Can you think of anyone who'd want you dead?"

The Festival Daimyo shook his head, honest bewilderment written on his kind features. "No, none at all. I get along well with my advisors, I'm personal friends with the mayors of the village's, and the people have never said a word against my rule. In fact, I was voted the most popular daimyo in the last hundred years." His podgy face shone with pride at the fact.

"What about the surrounding countries? Could they want you dead?"

Hideyoshi looked thoughtful, but slowly shook his head. "No, I don't think so. We're a small country, and generally keep to ourselves. The biggest problems we have with our neighbours usually consist of trade disagreements or when the son of another country's lord gets a little too rambunctious on a night out. Certainly nothing to warrant my death."

Noburu sighed. "I still say we cancel the festival until the danger has passed. It's too dangerous to proceed with that madman out there."

"No!" The daimyo sharply intercepted, an unusually stern expression on his face. "The Land of Festivals has never missed a single celebration in the past seven-hundred years and we're not about to start now."

"But, Sire, the people will understand!"

"No. I will not say it again. It's not just a party, it's tradition, and I will not have that threatened by some cloaked fiend with a knife. The festival will go on as planned."

There was a tense silence after that. Kakashi quietly cleared his voice, bringing all the attention back to him. "Moving on. Have you made any security arrangements to protect the daimyo?"

Noburu nodded. "The entire floor below Hideyoshi-sama's private apartments has been cleared of all personnel. We have a guard of no less than twenty of the palace's best samurai guarding it at all times, allowing no one but me and the other advisors inside, and even then we are thoroughly searched. Every meal is tested for poisons before it is brought up by one of the guards. Hideyoshi-sama has agreed to stay within the palace for now, albeit begrudgingly. There is only one floor above Hideyoshi-sama's, and that has been cleared for the use of you and your teams."

"We appreciate the gesture." Kakashi gave him a nod of thanks. "I think that for now we'll have to adopt a wait-and-see approach. Since we don't have any information on the assassin beyond a time we can't do much. We'll keep an ear out for more information. You'll have at least one ninja watching you at all times, Hideyoshi-sama. Rest assured, no harm will come to you while we're protecting you."

"Forgive me if this offends your young companions." Noburu said delicately. "But I would have thought the Hokage would have sent more…_ experienced_ ninja on this mission. After all, it _is_ a daimyo's life at stake."

Kurenai took this one before Kiba had a chance to speak up, most likely in defence of their skills. "Actually, Noburu-sama, you got a better deal with us. Since it is a civilian we're dealing with the Hokage would have sent a team of two or three Chuunin to protect you. Instead, you have two seasoned Jounin and six of our most promising Genin. You don't have to worry about us."

Noburu nodded and sat back in his chair, appeased by the response.

Kakashi looked around. "Now that that's taken care of, I suggest we call it a day. We've travelled all day to get here, and a little food and rest will be good. Hideyoshi-sama, it would be appreciated if you'd return to you apartments so that we can watch over you in a single defensible area."

"Oh alright then." The round man grumbled as he rose. This prompted the others to follow suite. With Kakashi and Kurenai finalising the bodyguard rotations with the daimyo, the group headed from the room.

* * *

The cloaked figure pushed open the wooden door, and entered the smoky, noisy, stuffy, smelly, dimly lit tavern. Ignoring the inebriated crowds, it pushed its way through the press until it reached the stairs. Swiftly, it swept up the steps until it reached the third floor. It glided silently to a single door, as unremarkable and dirty as the others around it. It raised a hand and knocked twice, then waited for two heartbeats, and knocked again twice more. Then it waited.

It didn't have to wait long before the door swung open with a creak, admitting it entrance. Silently, it ghosted inside, closing the door behind it, but not before checking the corridor for any potential eavesdroppers. When the door was closed and locked, only then did it turn to face the man lounging in one of the chairs by the window, his long legs folded on the windowsill.

"We have a problem." The cloaked figure said curtly.

"And what would this problem be?" The man asked, disinterested, not taking his eyes off the city beyond the window.

"That fool of a daimyo has hired powerful ninja to protect him."

The man didn't even blink. "We already knew he would, especially since he knows that someone's out to get him."

"Yes, but we didn't expect the response he got. We expected two or three Chuunin, he got two Genin teams and their sensei."

The man yawned and scratched his bare arm. "Two Chuunin. Two teams. It doesn't matter which one he has. It won't change things."

"Would it change things if I told you one of the Jounin was the famed son of the White Fang?" The figure challenged, a note of irritation entering its voice.

That got the man's attention. Turning form the window, he regarded the figure with an appraising eye. "Hatake Kakashi? The Copy Ninja?" He snorted. "Well I'll be damned. This changes things. I'll need to move the timetable around a bit, but things should go as planned."

"I don't care what you do. Just make sure that man doesn't survive the Halloween festival. I will not settle for anything less." The figure warned.

The man laughed a low, mocking laugh. "You're threatening me? That's rich. Don't fret, little plotter, the daimyo will die regardless of how many ninja he hires, then you'll pay me and I'll be out of this shithole for good."

"Just remember, I pay to see results." With that the figure flung open the door and vanished, its cloak billowing behind it.

The man shook his head at his client's dramatics and returned his gaze to the dark city beyond the window. From his vantage point, he could clearly see the uppermost levels of the palace, particularly the vaunted daimyo's apartments.

"Hatake Kakashi, huh?" The man muttered to himself. "Maybe this job won't be so boring after all?"


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Important! I've updated Chapter 10 AND 11 at the same time so go back and read Chapter 10 first!**

**CHAPTER 11**

Kurenai yawned as she shuffled out of her bedroom. She and Kakashi had taken the first shifts watching over the daimyo while he slept. She'd gotten lucky and pulled the first shift, being relieved sometime in the middle of the night. Running a hand through her slightly messy hair, she made her way into the sitting room.

The floor they had commandeered was more of a large suite than a floor of individual rooms. It had one large sitting room/library, with modest bedrooms branching off to the sides. A set of glass doors opened up onto a large balcony, from where you could see a spectacular view of the whole capital from where the palace had been built into the hills.

She stepped into the sitting room proper, and blinked at the sight that greeted her.

Four Narutos sat around a table while a fifth had Henge'd himself into the clothes of a blackjack dealer, and was now dishing out cards to its fellows.

"I can see you've had a very productive night." The genjutsu mistress commented as she lowered herself onto one of the couches, tucking her legs under her.

"You know it." One of the Naruto's replied smoothly. She assumed this was the original since he'd been the only one to reply. The large amount of poker chips piled before him singled him out as well.

"Alright, gents, let's see your hands." Dealer Naruto said, holding his own close to his chest.

"Nineteen."

"Twenty."

"Nineteen."

"Twenty-one!" The real Naruto crowed triumphantly, tossing down his own hand. Sure enough, a King and an Ace of Spades stared back up at them. He laughed, satisfied, as he scooped all his winnings over to add to his already rather large pile.

"Damn it!" One of the clones slammed his fist on the table. He pointed an accusatory finger at his creator. "You're cheating! You have to be!"

A punch to the face was all the answer he got in return.

"Anyone else got something they'd like to add to that?" Naruto asked as he brandished his fist threateningly. The remaining clones nervously glanced at the quickly dispelling smoke cloud that had once been their brother, and quickly shook their heads.

Kurenai merely shook her head at the blonde. The boy was well on his way to becoming as eccentric as any of her other colleagues.

Slowly, the rest of the teams began to wake and before too long they were all gathered in the sitting room, sans Kakashi who was still guarding the daimyo. Naruto and Kiba had scrounged them some food from the palace kitchens, which they quickly devoured. When all the plates had been cleared, Kurenai had them gather round.

"Okay, as you know our mission is to guard the daimyo, but since there's very little chance that the assassin will attack before the festival Kakashi and I have decided that it would be a good opportunity for you to get in some training. We've talked to one of Hideyoshi-sama's guards and he pointed us to a area of forest behind the palace that people rarely venture to that would be perfect for our needs. Until the festival you'll be training there whilst at the same time switching in and out of guarding Hideyoshi-sama. Go get your gear, we leave in five minutes. Shino, Naruto, could you stay here for a moment?"

As the others went to get their things together, the two quiet Genin stayed behind as ordered. Kurenai looked to Shino first. "Shino, am I correct in assuming that you've already placed a tracker bug on the daimyo."

The Aburame nodded, pushing his shades a little further up the bridge of his nose before speaking. "I have, Kurenai-sensei. If the daimyo is in danger it will alert the rest of the swarm, which in turn will alert me."

Kurenai nodded approvingly then allowed the boy to go gather his gear. When he left, she turned to Naruto. "While I trust Shino's bugs implacably, there's no reason not to have a back-up plan. Can you create anything that will help us keep a closer eye on the daimyo?"

Naruto paused and looked thoughtful about it. He cradled his elbow in his palm as his other hand stroked his chin. "Maybe." He said uncertainly. "I mean, I've never tried it before… but it _might_ work…"

"What might work?"

Instead of replying, Naruto clasped his hands together. The black smoke unique to his Bloodline bloomed forth out of clean air and when it cleared Kurenai was greeted by two strange sights.

The first was a eye. About the size of a clenched fist, the orb bobbed unaided in the air, whizzing to look this way and that. A quivering optical nerve dangled from the back, and the sight of its wobbly motions made the Jounin a little nauseous.

The other appeared to be a simple mirror, held afloat by tiny sets of wings on all four corners. By their size it was obvious that there should be no way they could bear the mirrors weight. But that was rational thinking and these things were created though a young boy's imagination. As any philosophical thinker will tell you, rationality has no place in an imagination.

"How will these help us keep an eye on the daimyo?" Kurenai asked, intrigued, as the eye floated over to the window to look at the view. Perhaps besides his family, no one had ever really been able to get a good idea of just what the Ritsuzen was capable of. In fact, this was the first time she'd ever really seen it in action. That time after Naruto was attacked didn't count.

"The eye will… well, 'keep an eye' on him and the mirror will show us what it sees. See?" He invited her to look into the mirror. She gasped. Instead of her own reflection staring back at her, she instead saw the view from the window where the eye was still floating. She glanced between the mirror and the eye, trying valiantly to think of how the mechanics behind the jutsu allowed it to function. For the life of her she could come up with anything. This shouldn't be possible. Suddenly, she was starting to appreciate just how much potential Naruto's Bloodline possessed. If he could explore and master it, the possibilities would literally be endless.

Reining in her awe, she addressed one small matter. "How will Kakashi know not to attack it? I doubt he'd take kindly to an _eye_ just floating into the daimyo's room unannounced."

Naruto thought about it. A few seconds later the eye floated out the window and down into the daimyo's floor, sporting a new accessory in the form of a miniature Konoha hitai-ate. Hopefully it would be enough to convince Kakashi not to skewer the poor thing on sight.

No sooner had the eye left than Kiba emerged from his room, his pouches secured and Akamaru trotting along obediently at his heel. "That's it, I'm ready to g-" He stopped short, blinking rapidly. "Hey, Kurenai-sensei? Is that mirror… _flying_?"

Naruto and Kurenai looked at each other.

"You explain." Was all the blonde said as he walked off to grab his own gear.

* * *

Kurenai led the Genin out back to the clearing in the forest, just a five minute walk away. As they walked, Naruto had to explain to a curious Team 8 the truth about his Bloodline. Shino kept his composure for the most part, but if you looked close enough you could see both eyebrows raise high on his forehead in surprise. Hinata didn't say much, but she was still shocked. Being a wielder of one of the most powerful ocular jutsu in the world she knew that new Bloodlines didn't just pop up unexpectedly. Still, she was too shy to pry into it and said nothing.

Kiba was much more vocal in his opinion on the matter.

"Dude, that's freaking awesome!" The boy exclaimed excitedly. He turned to the blonde, a wide grin on his face. "You mean to tell me you can make anything you can imagine out of thin air?"

"Well there are limits, but yes."

"And that mirror thing is somehow connected to an eyeball that's watching the daimyo? It'll let you see anything the eye sees?"

"Yes."

A wide, lecherous grin made its way onto the young Inuzuka's face, and he giggled perversely. "Man, do you have any idea how useful that is? You could peep on the bathhouses from the safety of your own room and you'd never get caught!"

Naruto blushed bright red at that, having never thought about the possibility. Fortunately before his mind could wander too far down that road, a furious Sakura bashed Kiba over the head, sending him sprawling into the dirt. It had to be said that Kurenai didn't say a word against the assault on her student. In fact by the look on her face she might have thought he deserved it.

"Pervert!" The pinkette yelled angrily. "Imagine wanting to use jutsu to peek on innocent women! I'm sure Naruto would never do that. _Would you_, Naruto?"

She and Kurenai turned piercing glares on the poor blonde. He cleared his throat nervously. "O-Of course not." Despite his words, his voice cracked halfway through, causing his already prominent blush to double. Their chilling gaze lingered on him for a few more seconds, causing him to squirm uncomfortably, before they finally relented.

Naruto breathed a relieved breath then turned his own glare on Kiba, who was nursing a rather large bump. "You know, it's one thing to sign your own death warrant, but don't drag me to an early grave with you. I happen to like being alive, thank you very much."

Eventually they came to the clearing the guard had directed them to. Kurenai turned to the Genin, her arms folded under her chest. "Alright, since we've got a lot of downtime before the assassination is scheduled Kakashi and I have agreed you shouldn't just be sitting around doing nothing. To this end we've decided to start you on controlling your chakra."

"Huh? But wasn't that what that stupid leaf balancing test in the academy was for?" Asked a confused Kiba.

Kurenai nodded. "The leaf balancing exercise was designed to be a rudimentary exercise for young children who were just starting to learn how to control their chakra, but since you are older your chakra supplies have grown with all the training you underwent in the academy and during your time as Genin. This new exercise is important because not only does it give you greater control over your chakra, but it also provides you with an effective tool to use whilst on a mission."

Sakura raised her hand. "Um, Kurenai-sensei? What exercise are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the tree walking exercise."

"Tree walking?" Sasuke asked, his brow scrunched in confusion. "What do you mean."

Kurenai didn't reply. Instead she drew an handful of kunai and, with a flick of her wrist, threw them. Six thuds echoed in the clearing as the kunai buried into the bark of the trees, a good thirty feet above the ground. She turned back to the young teens. "Your goal is to retrieve those kunai."

Kiba scoffed and grinned down at Akamaru. "Piece of cake! Right, boy?"

Akamaru barked in agreement, his tail wagging excitedly.

Kurenai smirked. "Don't get so cocky, Kiba. It won't be as easy as you think. You have to retrieve the kunai…" She leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eye. "…without using you hands."

The Genin all gawked at her.

"What?" Sakura asked incredulously. "But that's impossible… isn't it?"

Again, Kurenai said nothing. Instead, she turned and marched towards one of the trees. The Genin watched her go, confused as to what she was doing. Kurenai didn't pause in her stride as she placed a foot on the bark and, to the amazement of the students, strode calmly up the tree. When she reached the kunai that was imbedded in the wood, she turned back around, a half-grin on her face.

"Still think it's impossible?" She asked teasingly.

With that she put them to work. Watching from the sidelines, she could get a good idea of their abilities. Sakura seemed to have no trouble, only wobbling a bit as she slowly made her way up her chosen tree. Shino was having a little more trouble, but was still making good progress. Kiba and Sasuke could only made it up about a dozen or so feet, but were doggedly staying at it.

She winced in sympathy as Naruto hit the ground hard. The boy's chakra control was easily the worst of the lot. She watched as he shoot his head, dazed, and gathered himself for another attempt. A loud thud echoed through the clearing a few seconds later, followed by a loud exclamation of a few choice words that she was certain he shouldn't know. She shook her head, knowing Kinome would never tolerate such language from any child of hers. _'Must have been Azuma. From what I remember, he could curse with the best sailors. Best not tell Kinome, she'd kill him.'_

Pushing the matter from her mind she turned to check on her own kunoichi student's progress. She wasn't disappointed.

"Fantastic, Hinata!" The raven haired Jounin called. The others looked round to see what the fuss was about.

Hinata stood near the top of her tree, the kunai she was aiming for held in both hands. The shy girl blushed at the praise and quickly made her way down the tree.

"I assume you've already been taught the tree walking exercise?" Kurenai guessed as she took back her kunai.

Hinata nodded. In fact, being raised as a Hyuuga ninja, she knew most of the major chakra exercises, and even some that weren't widely known outside the clan. Her skill with such exercises was the one area her father never berated her about.

"Hey, Kurenai-sensei!" A call came from the trees.

She and Hinata looked up to see Sakura sitting comfortably on one of the higher branches. She looked to be out of breath, but surely enough her kunai was in her hand. Kurenai could also see that Shino was close to retrieving his own.

"Very good, Sakura." She called back. "At this rate we should be done in no time."

A thud and a grunt drew their attention. Naruto was sprawled at the base of his tree, rubbing his ass after what appeared to be a particularly rough landing.

"Or maybe not." Kurenai muttered.

* * *

"Oooowwwwwww…" Naruto groaned as he gingerly lowered himself onto one of the comfy wingback chairs. He'd shed his scarf, haori and sandals and was now reclining with his feet propped up on one of the leather footstools. He grunted as he shifted himself slightly, the motion sending painful throbs through his poor, abused body.

They'd spent the entire day training. Kurenai, seeing that the girls had no further need for the tree walking exercise, had introduced them to the water walking exercise instead. Since Hinata already knew that one as well, Kurenai upped the ante and used a small Suiton jutsu to send some minor waves through the water, making retaining a level balance far more difficult. Shino had made it to the top and retrieved his kunai by the time he was chosen to replace Kakashi shadowing the daimyo. Kiba and Sasuke were just a few feet shy of completing the exercise when they were told to stop for the day, while he himself had only managed to get three quarters of the way up.

And it took falling ass first onto the hard ground over two-hundred times to do it.

Naruto whined piteously in his chair. He had aches and pains everywhere, even in places he didn't even know he had!

"I hate trees." He muttered, uncaring if anyone could hear him or not.

"Strange thing for a Konoha ninja to say." Sakura grunted back from where she was sprawled on one of the couches. Kiba was laid out on the floor beneath her, Akamaru snoozing on his chest. He had fallen there when he lost to Sakura in the battle for the couch and apparently couldn't be bother to get back up again.

Kurenai smiled from the large dinning table where she and Kakashi were sorting out the takeaway she'd fetched for dinner. "Now now, Naruto, it's not the trees fault that you couldn't get the kunai."

"Yeah, don't blame the tree because you failed." Sasuke remarked from where he lounged in his own chair. His eyes were closed and it was obvious he was exhausted.

"Isn't you kunai still out there along with mine, Sasuke?"

The last loyal Uchiha merely grunted.

Naruto's head lolled in Kakashi's general direction. "Hey, sensei, can you toss me a bottle of water?"

Kakashi grabbed one of the many unopened plastic bottles and chucked in in Naruto's direction. The blonde had turned his hand palm-up on the armrest, expecting the Jounin to throw it towards his hand. Instead the bottle hit the armrest, falling to the ground a foot or two out of reach.

Naruto regarded the bottle for a few long moments, probably trying to figure out if it was worth the effort of shifting himself to grab it. "Can somebody get that?"

Naturally, this generated a round of 'hell no's' from his so-called comrades.

"You guys suck."

"Man, Naruto, I know you're tired, and the insomnia thing doesn't help, but you're one of the _laziest_ people I've ever met! And I've shared a class with Nara Shikamaru!" Kiba said from the ground.

"I know, it's a terrible affliction. One that I'm trying to overcome."

"Okay, guys, your food's ready." Kurenai called. "And no, Naruto, no one will bring your's over to you so you'll just have to get it yourself."

Sakura looked to her teacher as she grabbed her own food. "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, who's going to watch the daimyo tonight?"

Kakashi looked up from his book. Despite her many attempts, Kurenai hadn't been able to steal the damnable thing so she could burn it. "Well, Shino has him for most of the night then Naruto will take over. Hinata, will you be able to take the shift after that at noon?"

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei." The girl said quietly.

"Good, then it's all settled. If wee keep it up this way we should have no problems from now until the festival." Kakashi said happily. Kiba looked like he was going to say something when a strange object floated over their heads. They all watched silently as a fleshy orb with four long, thin, four-fingered arms hovered over the food, apparently looking for something. It bobbed up and down for a moment before gliding over one of the plates and grabbing it with its hands. The eyes of the ninja followed the little plate-thief as it rose into the air and brought its cargo over to its creator.

"NARUTO!"

"I'll start working on it tomorrow, I swear!"

* * *

He watched with a slight smirk as his client paced the carpeted floors of the study, agitation plain with every movement. He leaned back in the padded leather chair, one leg flung over an armrest, despite his host's request for him not to.

"It's too dangerous." His client spoke in clipped tones. "It could send my entire plan up in flames. There has to be another way."

He shrugged. "This is the best way. If we take the ninja out, then there'll be no one to stop me from killing the daimyo during the festival. Getting them out of the way this early will allow us to avoid any complications later on."

"You weren't saying that the first time I told you he'd hire ninja. You said that even if he had ninja with him during the festival you could still kill him."

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Because two or three Chuunin, no matter how well trained, wouldn't have been a problem. Two seasoned Jounin, however, will. Especially if one of those Jounin is Hatake Kakashi. The fact that they have Genin with them, while not all together a problem, could be irksome. Strength in numbers and all that. Taking them out now is best."

"What's to stop that fat bastard Hideyoshi from just sending a letter to Konoha requesting more ninja? I'm sure that once they hear that the two teams they sent are dead they'll respond with far greater force the second time around."

He sighed, aggravated with having to spell it out, and when he spoke his voice was mocking, as if explaining things to a child. "Today is Monday. The festival is on Friday, that's four days away. If I make my move tonight, the daimyo won't be able to send his letter out until at least tomorrow morning with all the chaos that will go on. The messenger bird will take at least a day to get to Konoha, so that means it won't get there 'till Wednesday morning. It'll take Konoha most of Wednesday to decipher the letter, process it, and for the Hokage to review it and gather a team. Even if he manages to send the team out on Wednesday, they'll still take three days to get here, which means they won't arrive until the morning _after_ the Halloween festival, by which point the daimyo will be dead, I'll be paid, and you'll go on with your little plan."

His client was silent for several long minutes after that, presumably weighting his words and deciding whether or not to go ahead with the plan. Finally, the client turned to stare at him levelly.

"You're positive that more ninja won't arrive until it's too late?"

"Positive."

"You're positive that you can kill the Konoha ninja tonight?"

"Very positive."

His client gestured towards the door. "Then go do it."

* * *

"Aw man! Why did sensei pick those guys to go into town? I mean besides for training we've not been off this floor! The Land of Festivals is meant to be a big party place, and the capital's supposed to be party central! And we're stuck in hear missing it! Not fair or what?"

Shino tried to tune out his teammate's complaints, but found it increasingly harder and harder, especially when Akamaru started adding agreeing yaps and barks to his master's diatribe every few seconds. Briefly, he too wished their sensei had sent him into the city, instead of confining him to their suite with Kiba. It would certainly be a more peaceful experience, never mind the fact that the streets were bustling with drunken partygoers.

It had only been a few hours ago that they had finished their training. Kiba and Sasuke had both managed to walk up the trees high enough to retrieve their kunai, and Kakashi had told them that they'd move onto the water walking exercise with Hinata, Sakura and Shino himself once they'd managed to perfect their control a little more. Since Naruto had to forgo training for today as it was his shift to guard the daimyo, he remained the only one of the Genin not to reach the top of the tree, much to his chagrin. Naturally, this generated much teasing and mocking from Kiba and Sasuke. Once they had all arrived back at the suite Kurenai and Kakashi had informed Hinata that she wouldn't have to take her shift since they wanted to update the daimyo on the mission status. Kakashi had instead ordered his team to head for the inner city and see if they could gather any clues as to who was trying to kill their client. Kiba had protested loudly at being left behind, but Kurenai had wanted them to remain behind in case they were needed for anything.

Shino sighed. "Complaining about it won't change the fact that Kurenai-sensei wanted us to stay here, Kiba."

Kiba grunted. "Yeah, but still I'm bored. I mean there's nothing to do here until the festival."

"Read a book."

"There's nothing good. It's all history and crap."

"Sharpen your kunai."

"Did it yesterday."

"Do it again."

"No point, they're already sharp."

"Then why don't you take Akamaru for a walk in the gardens? I'm sure he'd like it."

The Inuzuka scowled. "I did that yesterday. You should have seen the look one of the male servants me when Akamaru hiked his leg on one of the trees. You'd think I'd came into his house on Christmas day and pissed on his kids by the way he was yelling."

Shino pushed his shades further up his nose. "Well the palace gardens are quite famous for their beauty. Maybe he was afraid Akamaru urinating on the tree may have done damage."

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Well all I know is I ain't going anywhere near that psycho and his _vaunted_ garden again. Akamaru was about ready to maul him yesterday." He rolled his shoulders, trying to work out a kink. He glanced at his teammate. "You think Kurenai-sensei would care if I went to catch up with Kakashi's team?"

"Perhaps. She did order us to stay here."

Kiba waved him off. "Nah, she'll be fine. If she says anything I can always say I went out to get something to eat. She can't punish me for that, right?"

Shino sighed again, and was about to reply when suddenly there was a muffled shout, followed by a very loud bang that rattled the windows of their suite.

"What the hell was that?" Kiba yelled, jumping out of his chair.

Shino rose as well, followed by Hinata. "It sounded like an explosion." The bug user deduced. "It sounded like it came from the gardens."

"W-What?" Hinata started in shock. "B-But that's where Kurenai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei and Hideyoshi-sama are!"

"Which means they're in trouble." Shino quickly made his way towards the balcony, strapping his kunai pouch to his thigh as he went. Hinata and Kiba followed behind, grabbing their own weapons.

They were just a few feet from the balcony when the glass doors blew inwards. Thousands of thin slivers of glass, each as sharp as any kunai, were propelled towards Team 8.

* * *

"So you're saying you've found no evidence of who exactly wants Hideyoshi-sama dead?" Noburu asked, a frown marring his aged features.

Kakashi shook his head. "No, Noburu-sama. My students are in the city now keeping an ear out for anything that may help us, but sadly I don't think they're going to find anything."

They were in the palace gardens; a sprawling maze of exotic flowers, grass fields and beautiful trees. Even to a casual observer it was clear that this was a rare sight. Each living thing that had been planted here had been carefully positioned so that its colours complimented its neighbours wonderfully. Large marble fountains had been built and the trickling sound of running water filled the air. It was late afternoon and the sun was low in the sky. The heat of the day was passing and they could feel the chill of the coming night in the air as the breezes tugged at the expensive robes of the daimyo and his advisor.

Hideyoshi stopped before one of the larger fountains. Atop it was a lifelike statue of one of the Land of Fire's previous daimyo. The marble figure sat atop a stallion and at its feet a pack of hunting dogs sat at heel. The current daimyo sighed, wearily rubbing his temples to ward off the coming headache. "So we're no closer to finding out just who wants me dead?" He asked of his ninja bodyguards.

"Not at this time, no sir." Kurenai said quietly with a small bow of apology.

Hideyoshi sighed again his eyes gazing up at the carved face of his forebear. "Forty years I've been daimyo of this land. I've led my people fairly, gotten along well with my servants, and have actually managed to put aside politics and make friends with those in my government." He shrugged helplessly. "I just wish I knew _why_ this person wanted me dead. What could they hope to gain from it?"

"We don't know, my Lord." Kakashi said. "But rest assured, no harm will come to you while we're here."

The portly man gave the Jounin a tired smile. "I know that, Kakashi-san. As always, your vigilance in this matter is appreciated."

Kakashi bowed slightly in thanks. He opened his mouth to say something else when his sharp ears caught a slight keening in the air. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as it happened. His one visible eye saw the small blur flying out of the trees to their left and the sound of it stabbing into the thick marble of the fountain statue seemed to ring unnaturally loud in his ears. That's when he heard the hissing. Sparing no time, he grabbed the daimyo in his arms and threw himself back.

"EXPLODING TAG!"

The fountain detonated. Stone debris filled the air, crashing down into the flowerbeds and the water of the fountains. Smoke and petals filled the air.

Kakashi landed on the steps of the palace, a dazed and confused daimyo cradled in his arms. He saw Kurenai a few feet away, Noburu laying at her feet, a bloody gash adorning his forehead. She looked fine, apart from the marble dust in her hair.

"Kurenai, did you see him?" Kakashi shouted. The ringing in his ears from the explosion was deafening, making it hard to head what Kurenai was saying.

"I didn't see his face, but it came from those Sakura trees just past the fountain." She shouted back. Behind them, samurai guards were pouring out of the palace, their weapons drawn and ready to defend their lord from attack.

Kakashi ignored them as he peered into the smoke that covered the gardens, trying to catch any movement in its midst. Slowly, the grey haze began to clear as it was pulled away by the breeze. It slowly revealed the ruins that had once been the magnificent gardens, once teeming with life, now strewn with rubble. Water poured from the fractured fountain, covering the ground. Kakashi tensed when he saw the figure in the smoke, standing atop the fountain ruins. Suddenly the wind shifted and the attacker's face was revealed.

Kakashi's eye narrowed dangerously.

"Momochi Zabuza."

* * *

**A/N: I know that chapters 10 and 11 are a bit on the short side and maybe a little choppy, but rest assured there is far more to come. I've hit a stride with the story so I think I'll be able to get the next few chapters out fairly rapidly, maybe even up to the end of the mission. Trust me when I say that there is far more to look forward to. I won't go into specifics, but I will say that the Ritsuzen's first true battle debut is coming soon!**


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